Speakers: What's MOST important to you?...

Realism, then soundstage depth (width is easy). Also, accuracy of the midrange. I'm with Philjolet and Phasecorrect on this important point the. After working the live voices and instruments for 10 years I can't handle most speakers when listening to acoustic music. Don't get me wrong, I listen to a lot of pop and rock, but those recordings are EQ'd like mad (even if it isn't through the listening board/computer).

Let me share with you something I read in a magazine back when it was Stereo Review when Julian Hersch was still there. This is a paraphrase.
--Ask to hear the three best speakers in your price range connected to a front end similar to yours. Use a cd you've heard a hundred times.
--Compare them two at a time,with the volumes the same,with the demonstator not telling you the name brands.
--Keep a chart of these four things checking the better performer in each of the catagories:
#1.Timbre,does a violin sound like a violin,etc.
#2.Imaging,can you follow two or more horizontal lines at the same time without the speakers getting in the way? Don't worry about instrument location;that comes with proper placement in your room. If you can follow counterpoint,that's a lot in a speaker demo room.
#3.Dynamic Range,does the distance between very loud(ff) and very soft(pp) sound life like or shorter than real life?
#4.Frequency extremes,do violin double stops sound pleasing or strident? Is the bass booming and bloated or tight and compact?
--once you have the better system,compare that against the third pair.
--If you like the pair you've selected,start neogiating.If you don't keep looking.

Let me answer your question. I'm an imaging nut with a hard core Magnepan habit.

Have the speakers disappear and forget about critiqueing the sound and just connect with the music.

I agree with Jayarr. When I forget about the music and get into the performance then its time to bring out the check book. I am personally an imaging fanatic. If the speaker can't throw a reasonbly full size image in height and width at me I'm not interested. I know some would argue dynamics is the thing. Well for me its not dynamics because I don't listen very loud. And in truth in most concerts amplified and unamplified I rarely hear truly dramatic changes in volume. Except for large scale orchestral most concerts are amplified to some degree. I don't go to that many large scale classical concerts. What I do hear are dramatic changes in attack. Stats and planars seem to master speed of attack while they certainly don't have the dramatic changes in volume. Ultimately I have found speakers of almost every category of operation perform well on something; but for my preferred listening its image and speed first.

Great answers all! Here is what I was thinking when I asked the question.

I realize everyone is different and tastes vary greatly, but if we could boil this frog down to a single word that encompasses the essence of audiophile nirvana I'd have to select REALISM. If the speaker conveys realism the system should disappear allowing the performance to take place in our ears and mind. If we are presented with realism the music should engulf (engulf = sound stage, presentation, dynamics, extension, SPL levels, accuracy, air etc.) us and allow for nuances previously unrealized. Realism allows the vocals to be presented exactly as the singer intended. Realism gives a seat at the concert where we can hear the plastic pick brush the guitar strings and we feel the air from the kick drum. Realism should never be fatiguing because everything is in balance. As we sit in the demo chair we are presented with a technical gateway between the recording studio/concert hall and our ears, but this conduit should never color. It transports sound, but never gets in the way - REALISM.

Lastly, a good speaker should play all music adroitly. A speaker that plays classical music with aplomb, but can't handle rock or jazz won't get my attention.