When looking for accuracy, I really am looking for a speaker that does not repeatedly make the same sort of "telltale" speaker (as opposed to musical) sounds with different albums and instruments. I'm looking for a lack of character, seeking to hear no cues as to what brand, model, or type of loudspeaker I'm listening to. And most importantly, I'm looking for the one that makes me get that involuntary jab of shock you get when you hear instrumental sounds that bring you back, deja-vu-like, to a concert you have been to.
Some of those that do this to me the most:
Vandersteen Model 7 is one. Certainly less of its own "character" than the YG, lower distortion. Before being suspected of of bias, I don't own them.
ATC 150s. There is a reason studios use ATCs but not any of of the similarly priced high end audio models. It's not price. Audiophiles tend to think that studios must not know what they are doing because they don't have the "audiophile approved" brands and models. No, it's instead a matter of studios and musicians hearing the real thing and then hearing it on monitors immediately later. The vast majority of audiophile speakers are too colored and too lacking in dynamics to pass that test.
Everest DD67000: they are why I don't own either of the above. They are very colorless. Extremely pure. Powerful. Detailed. Gentle. They take on many different faces depending on the source material.
Big Tannoys: I love them. They so often remind me of real music. However, even though they jolt my senses with memories and feelings of real music, they have more colorations than the 3 mentioned above, so this is a "qualified" suggestion.
The biggest TADS (my list is of only currently available speakers) would make my list but they have an upper mid-range bite in virtually every system I heard. The editors of the 2 big magazines tap-danced around this, very lightly pointing it out. It is there.
As far as room, sure it is very important. But that is no reason not to get the most real sounding speaker and then work the room to minimize problems.
Some of those that do this to me the most:
Vandersteen Model 7 is one. Certainly less of its own "character" than the YG, lower distortion. Before being suspected of of bias, I don't own them.
ATC 150s. There is a reason studios use ATCs but not any of of the similarly priced high end audio models. It's not price. Audiophiles tend to think that studios must not know what they are doing because they don't have the "audiophile approved" brands and models. No, it's instead a matter of studios and musicians hearing the real thing and then hearing it on monitors immediately later. The vast majority of audiophile speakers are too colored and too lacking in dynamics to pass that test.
Everest DD67000: they are why I don't own either of the above. They are very colorless. Extremely pure. Powerful. Detailed. Gentle. They take on many different faces depending on the source material.
Big Tannoys: I love them. They so often remind me of real music. However, even though they jolt my senses with memories and feelings of real music, they have more colorations than the 3 mentioned above, so this is a "qualified" suggestion.
The biggest TADS (my list is of only currently available speakers) would make my list but they have an upper mid-range bite in virtually every system I heard. The editors of the 2 big magazines tap-danced around this, very lightly pointing it out. It is there.
As far as room, sure it is very important. But that is no reason not to get the most real sounding speaker and then work the room to minimize problems.