Consumer Reports: Speaker Ratings (1 Viewer)

[Ned]

CR doesn't take into account things like dispersion, imaging, soundstaging. These results are pretty much meaningless.
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My Home Theater Page

 

[Gary Kellerman]

Some years back, I had some speakers in my posession tested by CU. I noted that the manufacturers nominal impedance at times were quite different than CU's measurements. I also noted that their impedance measurements on the speakers I had were always one ohm greater than the measurment I took with a multi-meter across the speaker terminals of the DC resistance. I remember that some Bostan Acoustics A40s were rated 8 ohms nom. by Boston, but showed 5 ohms on their test and 4 ohms DC resistance on my meter. While working on passive surround circuits, the A40 behaved like a 4 ohm speaker because any 4 ohm speaker of that design had a similar certain effect on the passive matrix circuit.
I have heard the JBL N28. It sounded very good to me. The 638s' from Yamaha were no match for a similar designed speaker, the 900B from KLH. I am skeptible of the inverted design of the Pioneer with the tweeter under a woofer although I believe Mission has used this design. I have never really cared for Bose 301 series mainly because the bass response to me never quite sounded that clear to me.

 

[Manuel Delaflor]

Ned mentions something important (as I can't read the CR article I'm hoping that you have done it):

CR doesn't take into account things like dispersion, imaging, soundstaging. These results are pretty much meaningless.

Now, my concern is the way in which specialized magazines do those kind of tests... to my knowledge, they all make subjective assumptions when writing about such matters... am I wrong?
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[Carol Curtis]

I wonder why they din't test any Radio Shack speakers?

 

[David Susilo]

Although I disagree that the Pioneer S-DF3-K considered as the most accurate speakers, please don't assume that it will sound bad. The speakers actually sound pretty good, but in my opinion, not for regular listening, but for near-field monitoring.

 

[DaleB]

quote:
Now, my concern is the way in which specialized magazines do those kind of tests... to my knowledge, they all make subjective assumptions when writing about such matters... am I wrong?
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All the mags do lab testing also, but also consider acoustical environments, plus they have years of collective experience testing and evaluating ONLY audio/video equipment.
That's why I think their opinion is carries more weight in this area than CU. The response about doing a frequency to frequency accuracy range test, and not doing a music and HT evaluation, based on how such system SHOULD sound, is a good argument against the validity of CU's results.
Based on what most of us know about speakers today, if the only objective was to achieve raw frequency accuracy lots of cheap (or over-priced) speakers out there would qualify based on CUs results.
One thing CU fails to do is emphasize more the importance of using your ears to do an evaluation. And gaining experience by listening to live performances and well as many different systems. This is 'old-school' stuff, but I believe it is still valid.

 

[MickeS]

Consumer Report tests ALWAYS have to be read WITH the accmpanying article and graphs. The list us used as a compliment to that, and on its own is rather meaningless.
And, it's NOT the same people that test bikes, beer and speakers, if anyone thinks so. It's professionals in each field.
I have no reason to doubt the validity of this test, or the results. They may not please a lot of the readers here, but that's hardly surprising. In every field where I have some knowledge, I have found CR to be very accurate in their ratings and descriptions. They don't rate based on price, looks, performance in different environments and so on, which is unfortunate, but their tests work as a sort of baseline for a potential buyer who then can go out and explore on his own.

One thing CU fails to do is emphasize more the importance of using your ears to do an evaluation.

Did you read the test?
/Mike
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[Vince Bray]

I once compared a pair of Bose 301 to a JBL monitor costing just a little more and the difference was night and day. The Bose simply didn't convey the detail of the program. Now, I realize that that is hardly enough to base a broad conclusion on, but it is enough to conclude that a $0.29 paper POS tweeter will NEVER sound good, and specifically will never better a driver built using real materials.

Bose

 

[Steve_D]

I'm sure glad I don't own any speakers on that list! To think, everyone looking UP to Pioneer and Bose. LMAO! Although imho Klipsch is about as accurate as Bose in that neither are.
A couple of notable omissions with Paradigm and Energy.
I have a friend who shares a CR subscription...can't wait to get his password on Monday and see the test.
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[MatthewJ S]

if i'm not mistaken, didn't Ian Paisley once build a speaker flat(+ or - .25 db) 20 - 20k? and ,also , if i'm not mistaken, by his own admission, he said it sounded like cr@p!
glad i don't live in an anechoic(yeah' i know, use spell check) chamber!
can anyone tell me where I can get ahold of the canadian gov'ts testing lab's report that paradigm and API use so well?
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Matt says "if you have received good service from a salesman,if he has educated you as to what you should buy, buy from him! not from the internet!"

 

[DaleB]

Did you read the test?
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In all honesty I did not read the test, because I used to read them all the time until I found out their results typically differed from what I heard with my own ears, and what I enjoyed. I used to read the same CU reviews just to see if we agreed. Then finally gave up several years ago.
Unless they have changed their methods radically, I doubt I will find any revelations. I have heard some of the models on the list, and already disagree with the order they are listed based on my own listening experience.
And I did not say they don't say to go out and audition systems, I said they do not put enough emphasis on it and conditioning ones listening habits by taking in live performances.
They may use 'experts' in testing speakers, does that make them experts in home theater, acoustics, speaker technology, or just persons who are good at running tests? I don't know, I am just asking the question.
If just about all the audio/video publications and websites have somewhat similar opinions about the worst sounding and the best sounding speakers, why should I trust CU over them?
There are numerous models not listed, that are very popular and recognized by 'other authorities' to be excellent systems. I am not convinced. The results are not 'bad', they are satisfactory for the masses looking for 'good' speakers for the money. I give it that much.
There results don't displease me, since I don't put much stock in them. My own judgements about loudspeakers, or beer for that matter, differ from CU's! And I have disagreed with some of the a/v mags too that rave about certain models. But then again I didn't wasn't that impressed with Crouching Tiger...so hey, go figure!

 

[Henry Colonna]

I would have to defend Consumer Reports.
I know a lot about cars, and a lot about computers. I rarely agree with any of their "recommendations." But I do learn things about the products that they do review. I do learn important things from their overall methodology as well.
I do use them even more when I am buying things that I just don't want to know about - washing machines, laundry detergent, etc.
If you take them with a grain of salt, and read what they do, you will learn a lot. Just don't consider it the Bible of everything or expect to agree. Consider them to be a highly educated point of view - one you will learn from but not necessarily agree with.

 

[Henry W]

I read every issue of Consumer's Report and Automobile as well as umpteen million chat boards and just about everything else I can lay my hands on. Early on I learned just because it is in print or someone is allegedly an expert it doesn't make it the gospel. Fact is, some of the experts on this forum amaze me with their lack of knowledge. Some of the so called experts who have their own forums seem prejudiced by ties to their sponsors. But that doesn't mean we can't learn from them. No matter how bad or good the Consumer's Report is or the opinion of experts, whether limited in knowledge or prejudiced by commercial ties, I always learn something from what I read. Sometimes I learn more from the beginner or novice. My advise is to listen and read everything-then evaluate and discern the truth as you see it.
Best regards-Henry

 

[Jake T]

Dynaudio was not on the list.
Well I better go return them and get those oh so wonderful Bose.HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
C'mon, I mean, really they have no business rating items so subjective such as speakers.
Jake

 

[JohnFR]

I'm not going to criticize what I haven't read. However, I don't see ratings for quality control, whether the sound of the highly-rated speakers will be consistent, or whether it will change or degrade over time as the speakers break in.
Just my $.02
JR

 

[Phil A]

This is exactly the reason scientific measurements when it comes to such items are not going to tell you everything. Assuming they used the same electronics (whatever it was) might not be the best match for some of the speakers. A review needs to be looked at in the context of your like or dislike of the reveiwer's taste, which hopefully is consistent, either good or bad, what the reviewer is using in the system relative to what you own and what the reviewer used to evaluate the system (e.g. music, movie). Some speakers may take a little longer to break in as well. On a magazine such as CU, I would wonder what the testers have in their home systems as well. Testing speakers of a certain price point one should know what they do in relation to what reference type speakers can do. For instance, for $600, will I be able to get 90% of what I can get from a $1,500 perhaps with lesser bass response? If one does not know what good speakers sound like in the 1st place, they might as well be providing excursion distances of the woofers or other data that would be meaningless.

 

[MarcS]

C'mon, they rated perfumes and colognes! How much more subjective can you get?
They've strayed from there strength many many years ago--which was primarily cars and home appliances. It seems lately that they've really taken a left-wing philosophy, and I think they'd be happy if the US went to socialism...
If you think they aren't a political beast, then just look at the spin they put on their recent lawsuit with Isuzu--it would do any politician proud.
They continue to claim that they won, yet the jury found that 8 of 17 statements Isuzu questioned were false, and one of the statements demonstrated "reckless disregard" for the truth. 8 of the 10 jurors wanted to award Isuzu as much as $25M--but it's very difficult to prove malice...
So the question is... does it take a major lawsuit to determine the veracity of statements made by Consumer's Reports?
As others have said, you've got to take everything they say with a grain of salt, and also get information from other sources...

 

[David Barteaux]

Conumer Reports think they are the holy grail of consumer mechandise. They think they can test everything because thats what they do and people believe it. What makes them qualified to test speakers is only the fact that they think they have the rights to test everything. What are the qualifications of these reviewers...probably Wayne & Garth "yeh dude crank those up next" mentality.
Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

 

[Mike Knapp]

How interesting!
Those that scream for "objective testing" seem willing to dismiss it when it does not jibe with their opinions.
Me, I dismiss it all the time not just when it suits me.
At least I am consistant!
It seems the "objectivists" motto should be....
If test results are not what you want, challenge the method. If the method is solid, challenge the source.
Mike

 

[Brian Glaeske]

I've always wondered if they bother to calibrate anything. Do they properely calibrate the reciever/amp appropriatly before hand.
This applies to televisions also. Do they calibrate or do they judge based upon the "factory" defaults?
Brian