How does this make sense, any sense? Any sense at all??

Not saying the LS50 is a bad speaker but certainly not a truly high end product.

What makes other speakers better objectively?

What acoustic property of the Ls 50 did stereophile exaggerate?

One may always have their preferences but Ls50 is definitely high end when used properly.

First time I heard them I was very underwhelmed. The amp had insufficient current delivery and the room was too big.

Moved them into a smaller room with a beefy high current amp and then they came alive.

Two years later I bought a pair and tossed in the sub. Listening to them as I type.
I’ve heard a lot of high end systems and this setup is in the same league.

I thought I saw somewhere stat that the LS50 uses the same tweeter as the Blade.  Not sure though.  It would be nice to know!

I think LS50’s are pretty awesome.  The clarity and imaging are pretty great.  They do some things better than most speakers and then there are a few things they don’t do so well.  I have never heard them on really high End stuff but I’ve heard the scale with equipment also.

*L*   As for the 'Chewbacca Defense', I'd rather relate to 'letting the Wookie Win Option"...as in 'they might tear your arms off if they lose.'

Not applicable to the Stereophile bi-polar review rankings, but certainly funnier....

Additional (perhaps, 'addict-tional') musings about audio, and how things 'sound'....

Do or have any of you seen the movie "Phantom of the Paradise"?
An entertaining remake of the Phantom/Opera, in the R'nR 'daze'...*G*

There is a segment where The Devil (played by Paul Williams!) has our anti-hero in a studio, singing his 'hit' song.  The man can barely croak in key musically....
Although it pushes the concept a large amount (considering the era the film was made in), the Devil 'restores' the original voice of our poor abused artist with the application of 'modern tech'....Eq, Dolby, etc.

Ever since....I've regarded 'reviews' of various 'devices' as.... 

"Suspect".....Subject to my Own ears, taste...and Desires.

...but I'm just 'fringe' in this 'observation'.....'IMHO', 'n all that... ;)