How do you audition speakers these days...

[Sounds Good]

I moved my outdoor Klipsch KH07 indoors for the winter... for giggles i hooked them up as my mains and ive started listing to music with them. These are the first "quality" bookshelf type speaker i have ever really experienced... ive messed with the $50 a pair sonys and my previous theater micro bookshelfs...

ive been putting a lot of thought into my next speakers (floorstanders) and this small experiment has brought up a huge problem in my mind...

during auditioning how do you know what your listening to? what i mean is with todays receivers and all their technology with sound processing... how do you know whats "true"

just messing with my KH07s hooked to my Onk 876 i know what i like and dont like... stereo with dynamicEQ +4bass +8 Treb. but if use direct mode, i dont like it at all, sounds very flat

so during auditioning do you listen in a no enhancement mode then assume the speakers will take to digital sound enhancements well and sound even better?

 

[Davemcc]

My take is that you should always audition speakers in direct mode. You are auditioning the speakers, not the electronic alterations available in the receiver.

Speakers can be very different from one another and you have to find the speakers that suit you best. Once you get them home, if they need a tweak, it will likely be a minor tweak instead of a massive adjustment. If you choose a speaker based on a massively modified sound profile from the electronics in a shop, you may never be able to get them to sound the way you want.

Ideally, you could audition speakers in your home before purchase or have a good trade-in/return policy.

 

[GranteedEV]

How do you know what's true?

http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/SRM1/srm1meas.html

you don't trust your ears

 

[ski2xblack]

The form of today's business makes shopping for speakers much more difficult than it once was. It's difficult to hear what you would like to with any semblance of convenience, and many brands are internet direct.

One thing you can do first is use specifications and measurements to separate the wheat from the chaff (I think that is what Granteed is referring to). That way you only listen to worthy contenders and minimize the legwork involved.

You never know how a set of speakers is going to sound in your room unless you try them in your room. Check the ID companies return policy, or if you can find what you want at a brick and mortar, their return policy.

Hearing is subjective, and your speakers are the most critical part of your system. An audition in your home is the only way to really know if they will meet your needs. Do it right the first time and you'll be happy for years.

I think you'll find that good speakers will not require such heavy handed application of the tone controls. Let us know your budget and your room and you will get a bunch of suggestions from finicky listeners.

Here is a clever route for speaker shopping from another thread:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showpost.php?p=767971&postcount=17

 

[Sounds Good]

...Let us know your budget and your room and you will get a bunch of suggestions from finicky listeners...

lol..

ive already narrowed it down to PSB Image either T5 or T6 (cant really decide if it is worth $200 to go from 5 to 6...) or NHT Absolute towers

my room is roughly 30x30

 

[lsiberian]

I think the best way is to bring them in your room put them in the place you want them and listen. Different speakers sound better in different rooms. Make sure you level match the speakers. Do let looks influence you. You don't want an ugly speaker in the living room.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yeah, just bypass all the Room EQs & DSPs, and just listen to PURE DIRECT mode.

The speakers you buy should sound great to your ears in Direct or Pure Direct mode.

 

[XEagleDriver]

If PSB, go with T6

lol..

ive already narrowed it down to PSB Image either T5 or T6 (cant really decide if it is worth $200 to go from 5 to 6...) or NHT Absolute towers

my room is roughly 30x30

Just speaking about the PSB line: For a room of 30' x 30', go with the T6 - its dedicated midrange and larger woofers, plus slightly better sensitivity rating (89db vs 88db), are a better match to that large a space.

Cheers,
XEagleDriver

 

[zieglj01]

Concerning NHT in a 30x30 room, The Classic Four is better. May be more than you
care to spend.

 

[timoteo]

almost forgot!...if you get the Denon 3311 it will sound very good with B&W. Plus with the pre-outs you could ad an amp later & REALLY make em sing!!!

Think EMOTIVA!...

 

[3db]

Like every othe poster in this thread stated, , Use direct mode if possible so you hear the speakers directly. The sound you get with room correction processing engaged completely changes the sound of the speakers.