In the consumer electronics industry, there never seems to be a shortage of misinformation. It's worse when some "theories" have become so widespread, they've become accepted as fact. This article discusses and dismisses some of the most popular "myths" surrounding speakers.
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There are objective criteria used to assess many subjective issues. Whether you're judging a classic car restoration or a dance recital, there are objective criteria used to render decisions for first and last place. Just as we have witnessed on American Idol auditions, because an aspiring vocalist believes they're a great singer doesn't make them a great singer. Each vocalist is assessed using objective criteria such as tone, pitch, range and phrasing. Assessing speakers is no different.

A friend may believe their speaker's overblown distorted bass is good sound, but unlike Simon Cowell, you'll have the good sense not to tell them so.

Assessment of a speaker is based on a list of specific qualities that are definitely not subjective. You should use a code to assess them. Using "A CODE" to assess different speakers is quite simple:


The sound is faithful to the original.

All the subtlety and complexity of the sounds are communicated.

The sound is open and transparent and so well dispersed into the room that acoustically, the speakers seem to disappear.

Sound ranges effortlessly from whispers to thunderstorms without strain, compression or distortion.

The entire audio spectrum is evenly reproduced so that all sounds are perceived as balanced with no frequencies exaggerated or suppressed.

Don't dismiss the "A-CODE" as being oversimplistic or written for the speaker neophyte. The five criteria used above are listed as the essential characteristics by an overwhelming majority of high-end speaker manufacturers. These attributes are promoted as desirable characteristics by dozens of speaker manufacturers, including some we don't carry. While there is some disagreement as to how to make the perfect speaker, there is significant agreement on what makes the perfect speaker.

Okay, are you qualified to make these assements about different speakers? Read the next myth, and we'll see.