I think that for sure is the minimum requirements. Of course some will say you need to do it blind (I don’t necessarily agree with that if you are testing speakers in your own room, as opposed to doing objective research on sample sizes). Some will even argue needs to be “double blind” but I think that’s even more useless.
However, what about one on the left, and one on the right? Back and forth A and B and blind. All of Olive’s testing is single speaker mono, would seem to me (and I have done this a fair amount), that would get you even closer on a preference between two top choices. Determine preference. Then, switch speakers, left to right, right to left, do it over again just to make sure there isn’t a room/corner bias issue going on (which can and does happen, more with comparing a specific driver with another driver in same model of speaker).
Doesn’t that give you the truest preference and comparison? From there you take the top choice pair and listen in stereo to see if anything about imaging is a deal breaker.
I’m asking as this has seemed to work for me pretty well.
i tend to agree with all that.....
As an avid DIY speaker builder, I'm continually comparing new designs and different processing strategies.
I've learned that the only fair way indoors to A/B, is indeed one speaker at a time.
But the comparison is really only valid for A and B to be in the exact same room position....which means not only sighted, but also the problem of short term memory loss switching out A and B.
So I tend to do as you suggest; put A at left, B at right, and listen for a while back and forth. Then swap A & B's sides and repeat listening back and forth.
Only thing I've found that works better is to set up A & B outdoors, where the speakers can be next to each other. That test rules (and always sounds better clarity/timbre wise than indoors, if the speakers have any guts).
I have to admit i don't put much stock in either blind or double blind.
My opinion is, if it's close enough such a test is even needed...they're the friggin SAME, and who cares which one is "best"...
The speakers I build are 4, 5, and 6-way actives, all with dsp processing on each driver/amp section.
Things can get real complicated even setting up one speaker alone, much less devising ways to make quick and valid A/B comparison.
It's become pretty easy to hear when something is wrong on a new test. And then I quickly run a transfer function on the speaker to hunt down the issue.
After I know everything is technically correct (and all speakers under test would win the Good-Spinorama Seal of Approval ,lol) .....
what's more interesting to me, is long term listening comparisons....in the primary room, down the hall in my office, outdoors, everywhere.
Whenever I think I've hit a new level of detail/clarity in a DIY prototype, I make a second for stereo, and then go though A/Bing the pairs in stereo.
Long process for sure...but hey, hobbies can be fun huh?