Invest in better measuring speakers or room equalisation ? When does one or the other make a bigger difference in your experience ?

[OCA]

Would not comment on the "bringing the women into that space" as I am married, but yes think I had some late night propositions, or at least serious clues, to that extent.

Don't be crazy, you can't bring women near a set up where right sound stage is larger.

 

[Xristos]

Since I joined ASR I keep wondering about this question.

Sure, a well measuring speaker is a prerequisite to having a good sound, that can be equalised. However, ime, a fantastic in room response can be achieved with an avr costing about 1000, some bookshelve speakers costing about half of that and a sub costing about the same as the speakers.
A sota speaker like from genelec gives better imaging; a bigger speaker can fill a bigger room...but what else?

Then what gains can you expect when investing in better measuring or bigger speakers?
What if instead of upgrading speakers without equalisation you invest in an avr and subs?

To me the room plays such a big part, that room equalisation should be top priority at any price.

For a simple small room maybe some basic treatment have a good impact but i don't believe that's what makes the most significant difference. I believe most important are 1. good speakers and 2. Equalising.
In my opinion if you want decent you have to escape budget category 300-600€, you know Adam T series, JBL 300 series, Mackie MR/CR, Kali LP, KRK Rokits, Yamaha HS5/HS7, Focal Alpha, Tannoy Gold etc. For me entry decent level starts with Yamaha HS8, Kali IN5/IN8 V2, KRK V series, Adam A/S series, Neumann, Genelec, APS Klasiks, KS Digital A series, Dynaudio BM, HEDD Type, Eve SC, Focal Shape/Solo/Twin/Trio..I like also some bookshelf like Airpulse A100 and Edifier S3000. So for a small room and non pro level 600-2.000 € is decent.
For equalising i believe that makes the most significant difference along with a decent speaker. Not room treatment. With equalising you can fix the sound in any room significantly. It's APO or Sonarworks or anything doesn't matter. For the last an important basic is to have your speakers wide space between them. Any speaker sounds total sh1t if they are narrow placed, that's extremely unnatural. The most important basic along with speakers base/stand for absorbing vibration of table you set them. I have now APS Klasik 2020. Although they're are super fast, tight, clean, clear, super detailed and a lot musical and full bodied i found them somehow a little more rounded and smoothy. So i started to experiment with EQ to make them sound more clinical and a little brighter but not bright in high/treble harsh meaning. I cleaned the bass frequencies with highshelf and lowshelf filter and also put a highshelf at 4K freq. Then cut/low some freq in low mids/mid bass and boost until 1,5-2 db max low, midrange and high frequencies. Then start experiment with Q in three filters but also anywhere, especially in midrange. Now they are a lot sharper as i want, more dynamic and forward without loosing their original sound identity or without sacrifice in any area of spectrum. Bass is also deeper and cleaner. I succeed a lot higher clarity, forwardness, punch, presence, seperation without sacrifice detail especially in midrange. I could describe the result like the sound (especially in midrange) became more textured or in different description now is in higher resolution. It's like i increased textures resolution. Its more edgy, sharp and defined. Also more present, dynamic and punchy. Neither i have anywhere any boomy, boxy, honky, muddy, harsh, thin sound etc effect or phase problem. I believe you have to spent hours with experimentation and use your ears like you tune an instrument. You have to enjoy the process and then the result.

 

[Buckchester]

Good measuring speakers are definitely necessary. And you must EQ below the room transition frequency. You should not EQ above that based on an in-room response. If you are going to EQ above, it needs to be based on anechoic measurements. EQ also cannot fix directivity errors, differences between on and off axis response.