Referring to MZKM's database. I like the scatterplot:
docs.google.com
I know that my own personal preference generally tracks the rating until around a score of 3 to 4. After that it goes everywhere i.e. I can think that a speaker of 3+ rating sound better than a speaker at 4.5 (JBP 305P). Above this rating of 3 to 4 I also find that speakers, while still detectably sounding different, are generally all acceptable after EQ and nearly identical after EQ. I doubt I can find a reason for intentionally going above 5 unless it is for bass, then yea definitely go as low as possible.
So here is a question for all:
1) What is the rating of the speaker you are using?
- Unfortunately the speakers I use (yea, plural) have not been tested here but Edifier S2000 Pro seems like a close match and that is a
4.7. I also bass boost the ____ out of my speakers to reach 40Hz tho so that should give me a 5 at least simply due to that? Distortion notwithstanding.
2) Looking at that chart, what is the minimum rating you can accept for long term use without feeling discontent?
- So I look at the graph, take note the speakers that I know I will feel "yuck" about, then move up the score axis and see where the "yuck" stop appearing. For me that is around
4, with 5 making it really safe.
- If I don't have a choice i.e. space or money constraint, I will still go for at least a 3 probably.
3) Where do you start deviating from the rating?
- Like, you like a speaker with score=4 more than a speaker with score=6. So you start deviating at 4.
- Don't need to remove non-ideal effects such as placement / room / nearfield / speaker size etc. Because it is interesting to see when these effect start becoming more important vs anechoic performance. If a score=4 sounds better than a score=6 on your table, that is a data. Or datum, do people still use that word?
- I would say I start deviating at around 3+ or 4+, depending on how bad my favorite speakers measure.
4) With EQ, where do you think you can differentiate until?
- I have to mention EQ because even at a score of 5, BS22 and ELAC 6.2 have clear differences in bass volume.
- I believe I can hear until around 5. As in. the speakers are >5 after EQ. Then I can't tell which is which. I do these experiments when comparing two speakers directly.
5) What aspects do you find important and what do you not care about?
- For me, treble can fluctuate and even get shelfed low as long as the general trend is good I am not really bothered. On-axis not really important since I listen off-axis. Bass extension, I'm very particular.