How To SHOP for SPEAKERS without HEARING THEM?

[OM_2K19]

Do you agree with his methodology?

 

[Nikhil]

I have not seen the video but I would not recommend shopping for speakers without hearing them.
The speakers are a crucial part of your setup (in fact the only part that you will hear).

The next key being your room - how a speaker pressurizes a room is critical.
If possible, you must listen to a speaker in your room with your setup before purchasing.



.

 

[IndianEars]

"How To SHOP for SPEAKERS without HEARING THEM?"

DONT!

Not a WORD about how it sounds and whether you will like the sound ........ but the video provides sane advice for shortlisting, not purchasing .....

 

[raghupb]

Very informative video for someone starting a speaker hunt. Nothing beats an audition.
I have used many of these parameters not so much in the same order.
If I were to list it down in order:
- space
- impedance
- driver arrangement
- ports
- sensitivity
- size (or looks)
- user subjective reviews

The speakers I currently use have been blind buys using the above approach.
Although, to cheat I had heard the KEF Q series briefly.
No regrets.

Cheers,
Raghu

 

[square_wave]

Technically, a speakers may work for you by using this method. But there is no guarantee if you will like the overall result. There are of course very experienced players who take pains to talk to the actual designers or experienced / seasoned users who talk " their language " to gain more in-depth information which they might use to buy the speakers unheard. Best option is to listen at-least in the shop.

 

[alpha1]

I agree with this kind of procedure for shortlisting among 100s of choices that we have in the market.

 

[argho]

Due to COVID I did have to buy speakers without demo.

Trial and error...made mistakes.
I now have pairs of speakers in boxes hidden in different places in my flat (hoping my wife never finds them).

The conclusion I have come to :
- different people have different tastes
- find reviewers whose reccomendations seem to match yours (ergo - they have a similar taste)
- go by their reccomendations

I personally now lookup any item I am interested in, on WhatHiFi and ZeroFidelity.
If both of them reccomend it, I go for it

 

[amrutmhatre90]

Saw the video yesterday, for shortlisting its a good technique, but for purchasing blindly hell no.

I feel forums are way to go while making blind purchases specially during covid, you can ask people, take feedbacks and use case scenarios.

I personally now lookup any item I am interested in, on WhatHiFi and ZeroFidelity.
If both of them reccomend it, I go for it

I do read and watch reviews but both above can be hit or a miss, the Marantz PM8006 video is such an example.

 

[chander]

Nothing ever is a good technique for blind buying - except "faith". His pointers are a good shortlisting tool.

 

[SiR]

I am convinced that I have taken the same factors into consideration, like budget, space, Impedance, sensitivity and last frequency response for selecting speakers

Based on that I've shortlisted few speakers both BS and FS but will decide only after audition as much as possible.

In his video, Andrew Robinson indicates Polk R200 is a 4 ohm speaker but Polk websites indicates

Amplifier Output Compatibility

8Ω / 6Ω / 4Ω

Is he wrong in saying it ??

[ Polk R200 is in my list ]

Saw the video yesterday, for shortlisting its a good technique, but for purchasing blindly hell no.

I feel forums are way to go while making blind purchases specially during covid, you can ask people, take feedbacks and use case scenarios.



I do read and watch reviews but both above can be hit or a miss, the Marantz PM8006 video is such an example.

Saw your unboxing and sound test video of PM8006 ... Very nice

Sure, it will be in my upgrade list as of now

 

[insane79]

I have not seen the video but I would not recommend shopping for speakers without hearing them.
The speakers are a crucial part of your setup (in fact the only part that you will hear).

The next key being your room - how a speaker pressurizes a room is critical.
If possible, you must listen to a speaker in your room with your setup before purchasing.



.

I agree, speakers are 90% of the sound you hear, rest are amps, room, cables etc. If audition is difficult then the other best option is to stick to the brand sound signature you like. Getting speakers for home audition is impossible in this country.

 

[Enkay78]

One can definitely buy speakers (or headphones) without hearing.

See the measurements and frequency response. If it measures well from factory, I will sound good.

But yes do consider what your taste is .....aesthetics, size, watts etc.



For me measurements have worked wonders (atleast to my expectations and satisfaction.... however I am no audiophile nor have golden ears). Being at my place to audition any device/speaker/amps before purchase is not a practical approach. So I rely on unbiased objective parameters.


(Ah yes I also have an UMIK ....and use heavy curtains and cheap rockwool for acoustics)

 

[Enkay78]

Since there is an aversion to ASR, sharing a more accepted , branded and audiophile link

Spinorama of speakers. No harm in knowing this objective aspects of speakers and speaker manufacturing.

Choosing New Speakers: Using Spinorama, Part One – PS Audio

www.psaudio.com

 

[insane79]

Since there is an aversion to ASR, sharing a more accepted , branded and audiophile link

Spinorama of speakers. No harm in knowing this objective aspects of speakers and speaker manufacturing.

Choosing New Speakers: Using Spinorama, Part One – PS Audio

www.psaudio.com

Please don't cloud this thread with ASR again. We all know ASR is your favourite & we are tired of you mentioning them on every thread

 

[Enkay78]

Please don't cloud this thread with ASR again. We all know you are an ASR Bhakt & we are tired of you mentioning them on every thread

So it’s not tiring for you to resort to personal insults?
How infantile.

I thought knowing spinorama can be useful knowledge for those who don’t know and are new to the hobby. Never thought the snobbish and boorish behaviour will stoop to name calling.


Lately this forum is getting somewhere unpalatable. (By few members). @Nikhil is this how you would like to encourage difference of opinion in this forum by allowing such snarky responses?

 

[Nitin K]

Getting speakers for home audition is impossible in this country.

Totally agree on that point. I did try asking for a subwoofer home demo from a dealer in Vashi which didn't work out.
That facility to implement still has a long way to go in India unlike in the US. If you know the dealer well and if he has a demo unit and is willing to give you to test at home then great.

Besides I guess there would also be some users who don't respect and care for other people's gear, hence the reluctance from the dealers side to provide this facility. Though audition at the showroom may be possible but as per the dealer's room acoustics.

Sometimes it goes both ways & that mostly leaves a person to judge a gear as per other people's experiences or online reviews in a lot of cases.

 

[insane79]

So it’s not tiring for you to resort to personal insults?
How infantile.

I thought knowing spinorama can be useful knowledge for those who don’t know and are new to the hobby. Never thought the snobbish and boorish behaviour will stoop to name calling.


Lately this forum is getting somewhere unpalatable. (By few members). @Nikhil is this how you would like to encourage difference of opinion in this forum by allowing such snarky responses?

My apologies, didn't mean it that way. We all share different opinions, we have to respect that.
No hard feelings.

Peace.

 

[Enkay78]

My apologies, didn't mean it that way. We all share different opinions, we have to respect that.
No hard feelings.

Peace.

Accepted.

Actually some of our FMs have a strong aversion to ASR (I am still cannot make head or tails why it is so …….I mean ASR is one of the many websites.) and respecting that I always include a pointer to that.

But I hope that we can go to the merits beyond the myopism of being personal. Afterall we are here in a forum sharing ideas and interest.


Anyway my comments was more for the usefulness of SPINORAMA for unfortunate hobbyist like yours truly - who cannot avail audition. If I have to audition then I have to go to Kolkata/Mumbai/Delhi…….which seems stupid to me. And yes I firmly believe in the science of this hobby and hence Floyd Toole is a respite from the confusing mass of subjective reviewers/influencers.

PS- I am not chasing any audio nirvana….nor any hi-end sounds of audiophiles. For me it’s a quest for a transparent system to me which should satisfy my taste. And that transparency starts for me from using good performing DACs/amps/speakers.


And yeah peace.

 

[Vineethkumar01]

Spinorama may be good for broadly separating the better from the worst. But it is not a complete measurement of a speaker, as per knowledgeable people. This is because the frequency response (magnitude responses, often shown in spinorama) can be shaped to look good and used for marketing products which compromise on the time domain responses. As a result transients may sound bad on such speakers (even with good looking spinoramas). From an objective approach, try to get more time domain measurements like step response, in addition to spinorama and learm how to interpret it. From a subjective approach listen to speakers for "softening" of transients in suitable pieces of music.

Thanks

 

[Enkay78]

Spinorama may be good for broadly separating the better from the worst. But it is not a complete measurement of a speaker, as per knowledgeable people. This is because the frequency response (magnitude responses, often shown in spinorama) can be shaped to look good and used for marketing products which compromise on the time domain responses.

I fail to understand the above.

How can spinorama be an incomplete measurements? (I guess the psaudio article I shared is not read....yeah even psaudio is coming around to speaker measurements)

If the measurements is taken good and competently how can it be shaped to look good?

The chart and graph itself will blow away the manipulation when peered reviewed. (Off course spinorama is meant to be peered reviewed. But it's another matter that most speakers manufacturers don't publish their speakers ones).