Loudspeaker and Headphone Handbook, 3rd Edition

 

13	Subjective evaluation
	Floyd E. Toole and Sean E. Olive

13.1 Introduction

A loudspeaker isn't good until it sounds good. The traditional problem has been: how do we know what is good? Whose opinion do we trust? In the early days of our industry, the decision was easy; it was the designer, whose inspiration and skill created the product and, often, whose charisma marketed it. As the industry grew, loudspeaker companies became organizations, with engineering, sales and marketing people who all felt that they deserved a voice, and senior managers who felt obliged to express their views. In some companies it is corporate rank, responsibility for the business, that decides the issue.

Even with the best of intentions, there is no assurance ...