Pleasurably better, not measurably better

Quickly descending into a promo campaign for dealers?

Let’s not forget that there are also a few music lovers that do care for accuracy in playback.

Accuracy, not short term attention grabbing rising treble or smiley frequency curves. You can buy speakers like that for a few hundred dollars, so why spend thousands?

Accuracy and long term satisfaction is our common goal, is it not?

We don’t want to endlessly flit from one step of the never ending audio roundabout to the next, do we?

Losing money and gaining frustration as you go.

The best and most surest way to lasting pleasure is the measured way.

Endgame speakers are few and far between, but all of them seem to measure well.

Accuracy and long term satisfaction is our common goal, is it not?

No?  First, I don't believe that "accuracy" is really possible in a speaker/room combination outside of the original recording space, nor do I believe the engineers would have mixed to reproduce that space.  Next, if you look at the research undertaken by JBL and Harman over time, speaker makers and measurements were based on human desire, not energy time curves.  Those who misunderstand that always end up with systems far too bright and dry.

Lastly why should I care about accuracy if it isn't more engaging to listen to?

I'm not buying a telescope to measure the distance or size or material composition of a distant star.  I'm not buying a tool to help me measure the amount of chlorine in a pool.  I'm buying gear that makes me feel good.  At best I can achieve a system that sounds good with a wide variety of source materials.

Above all, I will not abdicate my right to use my personal preferences to a lab instrument, of which I have several here. 😁

I decide what sounds better or worse to me and what is worth more or less money to spend on, not measurement gear or reviewers.

THEY all serve me, not me serving my gear.

Pleasurably better could go way beyond just the sound quality of a system. I personally love butter smooth FM tuner dials that have a good deal of mass and inertia and can coast a bit if you turn them quickly. A little static in the signal on a stormy night can add to my sense of coziness. I also like the little incandescent lights on the fronts of old analog dials and indicators rather than matrix panel displays. I think an LED would do as well as long as it was also warm white like the incandescent.

When it comes to sound quality, the debate is not only what sounds better, but what differences can we actually hear vs. differences that we perceive as a result of suggestion from our other senses. I’m all for allowing for other sensory input to color my perception of the sound quality in a positive way. I’ve noticed with binaural recordings on headphones that I cannot get a realistic sense of the sound having a large spaciousness to it if I’m seeing that I’m in a small bedroom. I just can’t do it. My eyes effect how I perceive the sound. The senses work together to create an impression. If I get into a larger room with a higher ceiling I can then perceive the sound as more spacious and enjoyable. Also while wearing headphones if I move my head around it can destroy the spacious effect temporarily. I need to sit still and face in a constant direction. Perhaps head tracking headphones could help with that. Maybe some day I'll get some. 

@asctim  - Also, consider ceiling absorbers.  Amazing way to open up the sound.