Do Physicists Or Musicians Design Better Speakers?

I would opt for someone well schooled in electronics and its application to audio, who just happens to have 'good ears'.

IMHO musicians rarely have clue about what makes an audio system sound good to an audiophile, they are much more interested in the music itself and their instruments. My daughter is one, has perfect pitch, plays several instruments quite well, and wouldn't know what a 'soundstage' was if it bit her in the ass, let alone some of the other hallmarks of a great audio system (and couldn't care).

Think for a moment from the prospective of a musician - where is that person when playing. When are they ever in a position to judge what the music they are making sounds like to others who are not part of their group. A dubious credential for making electronis IMHO.

Evita,

I would agree that we're only speaking in theoretical absolutes, and would also say that the question itself begs an intelligent answer, but what the hell, its a slow day! :-)

"...fulfillment upon the design, musicality, or some combination of the two." I'm not sure what this means.

IMHO audio(philedom) is all about making equipment that succeeds at being able to replicate the sound of a 'live event' as determined by the recording engineer, in ones home.

The 'live event' is always determined by the recording engineer. For example, in the case of large orchestral programs, will it sound as if it were heard from row A, or Row H (etc) in the center (natural sound as it represents what you would hear as an audience member such as more hall resonance, deeper bass perhaps, more blending of instruments, flatter soundstage; or, will sound as if you were on it be the podium (great soundstaging effect); or, god forbid, there will be so much multimiking that it sounds like its coming from everywhere with each instrumented spotlighted. Ugh! He will also determine how much compression is needed because the dynamic's might well exceed the users equipment, and the list goes on.

The point is that none of the considerations of the recording engineer have anything to do with experience gained by virtue of being a musician, with the exception of his experience listening to live instruments gives him a leg up on being able to more closely replicate the sound of a live instrument, or performing group, in a recording.

None of the experience of a recording engineer, nor experience as a musician, is necessary for one to construct the equipment necessary to play recordings in the home. All one needs is the technical electrical expertise and craftsmanship necessary to make the devises and the 'good ears' to recognize when they have reached their goals. If they have reached their goals and you have the ability to set up the equipment to operate at its optimum, the only 'musicality' involved is in the pits or grooves. JMHO.