Does Technology Trump Quality?


Would you select:

A) Two speakers with radically different technology (i.e. dynamic, horn, panel) at a perceived 85% performance level.

OR

B) One speaker with a perceived 100% performance level.

Assume: The speakers in example A are half the price of the speaker in example B. All speakers represent excellent build quality and sonic performance relative to price point. No hybrids involved.

In other words, for you does Technology trump Quality, or Quality trump Technology?
douglas_schroeder
Five or six years ago I found a speaker that lets me listen to music without listening to the speaker. I wish I would have realized that back then, instead I have spent the last five years trying to best them. Monitors, planars, hybrids, horns, even active speakers have been in my room but I keep going back to the music.
Right now, and for the first time in years, I don't have any speakers in the closet. Wish I could keep it that way but I'm a realist and know this satisfaction is only temporary. One thing for sure though, I'll not let these gems out of my house.
Keep looking Doug. Maybe I'll get a good deal from on one of your castaways. :)
Have never heard of this being done, and it has some built in limitations based on both price and sound.
But if you really can't decide between two speakers why not try for an in home demo using one of each and hear how that works. It would give you the tech you are looking for, though only on one speaker and vice versa.
May have some problems with the amp depending on draw, though monoblocks might make that minimal to none existent.
If it worked you could have your tech and quality too.
If it doesn't work, quality, nothing else lasts or allows one to wait for something better with so much more ease.
Hypotheticals, eh? Well, let's establish some numbers. It's no secret that some with a passion for live music and also for high-end audio freely claim that we're lucky if even our very best state-of-the-art (sota) systems can capture at most 15% of the so-called magic of the live performance. Some think even that low number is too optimistic but I think it's relatively accurate.

For argument's sake, let's assume we've established that you can only hope to obtain at most 15% maximum of the magic or believability of the live performance.

Next, you say that speaker A offers 85% of the performance of speaker B and speaker A also costs exactly half the price of speaker B which offers 100% of the performance.

Gimme a minute.... {click, click, tap, click, tap, cha-ching, click, tap, click, cha-ching, cha-ching}

Got it!!! Assuming a price of $10,000 for speaker B, speaker B will ensure you can obtain up to 100% of the 15% of the believability of the live performance.

Speaker A, on the other hand, will ensure you can obtain up to 85% of the 15% or 12.75% of the believability of the live performance and you would also save $5,000.

In other words, either way you're starving for believability in your music presentation.

If we're talking USD, then I'd suggest going for broke with speaker B, but if we're talking giving up gold, silver, or other precious metals, then I'd definitely suggest going with speaker A as you'll hardly notice an audible difference between 15% and 12.75% of the believability.

Also, if per chance your system is less than today's sota performance levels, then you should hear an even less audible difference between speaker A and speaker B.

-IMO
Given product choices that match your system well, I agree with Bill - even more so for upstream electronics.