I’m not sure I understand why these measurements are meaningless; however in either case, I would argue that any measurements at the higher SPL levels (beyond 96db) is better than none. But please don’t think I’m expecting you to solve this problem — your reviews are already amazingly helpful.
It's probably because S&R uses THD(not separate harmonics) which doesn't correlate well with perceived distortion. This has been
discussed a lot
previously though. There are better metrics, but not with ready made software to calculate them.
I don't agree they're meaningless though, just not very accurate. In most cases 2nd harmonic will be the highest and it's not very bothersome so it probably results in speakers with higher 2nd and lower 3rd+ being underrated for example. But I don't think people really need super precise numbers from these tests, it's just like the pref score in that you just want to know if a speaker is like a 95dB speaker or a 105dB speaker or 115dB. So I do think it's better than nothing to have SOME test that reaches higher SPLs.
I have not found anything better than my ear in detecting SPL limits.
Yes, but we can't take your ear home or to the speaker store, unless you are adding a new Patreon tier
We don't even know what SPLs you reach in listening tests. And typically speakers give up due to low bass limitations, but this means the 100-500hz output, important for those with subwoofers, often remains untested outside the 96dB distortion sweep.
The THX standard calls for 105dB peaks at a 4m listening position. It'd be nice to know if a speaker has that kind of dynamic ability without having to pay THX for their certification.
This is just one(rather old) standard though which has become somewhat of a home theatre shibboleth, in my opinion. Many people(including me) DO find 85dB avg uncomfortable for long periods(like hours watching a movie) in small rooms. That is why
Dolby Atmos guidelines(pg 15), for example, recommend calibrating to 79-82dB depending on room size.