Listening with your own ears is absolutely the most accurate test as thats the use case.
So your saying you want to buy something that sounds good to your ears.
But your ears can not tell if something sounds good?
There is the question and the answer. Are measurements always the place to start?
Not if you are looking for something aesthetically pleasing to YOUR eyes. The sound part
is fairly easy to buy or build in any normal room. Rectangle, 3-400sf or larger 8ft. to an opening ceiling.
Room treatment and drop in adequate transducers, that you have researched for their performance.
It's NEVER going to be a brand of speaker, it will alway be the technology and choice of components that
the manufacture used. Personally I'm a small ribbon, planar person from 300hz up. Nothing is going to change
that. I settled on that type of driver in the 70s. They were the best then, they are still the best now. Why would
I go against my hearing when it was it's best vs 69 year old ears now.
We knew
then (1974) the ROOM was the most important part and the speaker (for the lack of a better term) were
20% of the sound, the gear was 20%, the grid was 10%, the room coupled with vibration control was 50%. The speakers
can be a place of contention as far as the percentage they play in quality sound reproduction but the fact remains I've
listened to some VERY strange Point source, 300.00 dollar speakers that would blow your mind in an unsighted AB test
against anything made. ANYTHING!
Respectively comparing JBLs is a great example. If we stuck 6700s into the test group they are NOT going to image
like a point source. As a matter of fact they don't image at all from the 3 sets I've heard. They filled the WHOLE room
without any effort just like most horns do. Immersion yes, soundstage no. In some ways they are more lifelike (actual
concerts) BUT concerts aren't known for their great sound with few exceptions. I remember standing it the halls
at Winterland and it sounded better with TP in my ears that any part of the concert floors.
Deep Purple in the 70s. Man they were loud. Journey was louder than that and 1/2 the people left because of it.
Loud is easy, great is easy but you start with a choice and it has to sound and look good. It's ok if your choice ages,
so will your ears, eyes and ability to do anything about it. Time flys, the last words out of my Mother-in-laws mouth
at 96 years old I kid you not. "Time Flies."
I blinked and it's been 7 years since I retired. I just ordered 12 each of GSRs Neo 10s and 12 GSR 3.0 tweeters.
I already had 4 Neo 10s. Just in case. I'm looking for some 1X4X8ft hardwood tomorrow. This will be my 40th
build with neo 10s, never used GSR tweeters, we'll see.
I'll make it work that's never been an issue, starting the project is 50% of finishing the project. You can't measure
happiness, but you can sure enjoy it vs making up your mind by means of looking at a flippin' graft. Flip a coin
take a chance.
With great regard and a little time left. "Time Flys" remember that.
I can't get it. out of my head from 10+ years ago.