The video below was recorded at Audio Advice LIVE in Raleigh, NC on Aug 7, 2026. It’s panel discussion with Andrew Jones and Erin Harding.
Most of the discussion will cover familiar terrain, but it’s interesting to hear a renowned speaker designer share their journey that shapes how they design, build, and ultimately sell speakers.
…ultimately someone’s got to buy them or else I’m one of those DIYers. That’s all I am.
The YouTube video will start playing from Andrew’s historical narrative of designing objective measurements and subjective interpretation of the data.
..so we’re always looking at subjectivity. We can’t get away from it. We can get the data, but we have to interpret that. And as a designer for the speaker, I think I’m fixing some of the technical issues. But ultimately since they are imperfect and I’ve got to listen to interpret those measurements as how it sounds.
Some takeaways:
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Measure speakers using multiple techniques and validate against listening tests - single method measurements hide errors you won’t catch until the product ships.
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Understanding directivity (off-axis response) matters more than on-axis flatness: speakers must sound consistent throughout the listening area, not just in the sweetspot.
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Don’t chase flat in-room response with EQ: a well designed directional speaker naturally tilts down at treble frequencies when measured from the listening position is actually preferred (from listener-centric research).
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Your recording chain determines what you hear - the microphone placement, engineer decisions, and mastering all shape tonality before your speaker plays music. Accept that you’re never hearing live sound.