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How to meaningfully audition speakers??

I think this topic has appeared elsewhere, even if worded differently. But I thought I'd ask anyway.

Just upgraded my amp and was thinking about auditioning different speakers. Problem is that there are only a handful of high-end B&M stores nearby. Another complication is that no one store has the 2 or 3 speaker brands that I want to check out.

Further, I am dubious that one can meaningfully audition gear by running from store to store because the test conditions are not identical. In addition, unless a piece is really terrible or incredibly terrific, I don't trust my aural memory. Perhaps other have a different view.

Seems to me that the best way to accomplish what I want is to have the speakers of interest brought to my house and hooked up to my rig. But -- I am NOT aware of any dealer willing to part with expensive gear like that, especially if it has to be specially ordered from a distributor because the model is not on display.

So the Q is what do most folks do? Just buy speakers on hope and a prayer?? Rely on reviews or Forum comments??
bifwynne
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,846 posts
 
Live music, in studio or otherwise is the reality, FBOFW. Right?

How much anyone cares about it though is totally up to them.

Alan Parsons has never invited me into his studio, so I will never know what that was supposed to sound like.

But I can walk down to nearest pub, recital hall outdoor concert and listen. My daughter will play her violin for me in our house for free (with some coaxing).

I find listening live FBOFW helps my ability to enjoy music in that I find the way things sound in general to always be interesting. Doesn't even have to be music. Ever hear a rooster crow from close up? Or listen to the sound of the surf breaking on a beach? How about the birds waking up at daybreak? Very cool!
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,565 posts
 
Live music is the reference when but one can NEVER it replicate in one's room. One has to settle for what one uses as clues to convince oneself that what one is listening to is real enough to satisfy.

I like tone, detail and ambient clues while others prefer soundstage width and depth or instrument placement, frequency extension, bass performance, etc.

Whatever floats your boat should be what you're looking for in a speaker since it's the most colored performing piece of equipment you'll have in your system.

You'll encounter more compromises at the lower cost end of the equation than at the more expensive (generally) but those compromises have to be factored in with the rest of your equipment and what clues you like when deciding.

All the best,
Nonoise
wolf_garcia
6,613 posts
 
Note that live drums go through plenty of processing at concerts including compression, digital reverbs, input pads, etc. The reason live drum sounds don't go through your hifi is the fact that uncompressed drums would blow up most any home system's speakers, unless you're using large, professional, huge coil 15" or 18" woofers. Try it...get a 1200 watt pro PA amp and a mic, and stand back. I record and mix live drums for jazz concerts, and get away with input pads and sensitive overhead condensor mics. Now that's LIVE! Also note that small jazz combos are often completely unbalanced if not miked somehow, unless you sit in the middle of the band which isn't usually allowed even for Elizabeth.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,846 posts
 
"The reason live drum sounds don't go through your hifi is the fact that uncompressed drums would blow up most any home system's speakers, "

Not to mention the amp clipping that would probably occur and totally ruin the sound anyhow in most cases even if the result is not blown speakers.

Note though that proximity to music source and venue room acoustics is a big factor in how loud something really is.

I was listening to a rock band play outdoors from about 20 feet away recently. It was loud overall and sound mix was good but nothing there that could not be reproduced at home easily with the right gear.
frogman
7,358 posts
 
****Live music is the reference when but one can NEVER it replicate in one's room****

I couldn't agree more. But here is the problem: because of that unfortunate (?) reality, most audiophiles are very quick to abandon the POSSIBILITIES from using that benchmark simply because perfect replication can never be attained. To my ears, far more audiophile sound systems owned by listeners who regularly attend live music performances sound closer to GOOD live sound than systems owned by audiophiles who don't; regardless of preferred music genres.
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