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From Art Dudley, Stereophile, October 2008. Frank stuff but so, so true:
(Bold emphasis mine.)
Over the years, a handful of loudspeaker manufacturers have suggested that active and, presumably, ongoing comparisons to real, live music are at the foundation of all their design efforts. That principle seems noble, even unassailable—but it can lull designer and consumer alike into a blinkered perspective in which flat frequency response is assigned greater importance than anything else. The fact is, a loudspeaker must be more than just sonically pure: It must be musically competent as well, inasmuch as it should communicate the momentum, flow, and sheer rightness of pitch relationships that distinguish music from sound. A very good loudspeaker should also convey the drama, scale, and sense of touch that contribute to holding the listener's interest: Not only is it possible for a speaker to sound "natural" and "uncolored" and yet make a hash of those other things, it's depressingly common. [...]
Again, to be blunt: There's a depressingly high number of loudspeakers out there that sell for more than $20,000/pair and make music sound like chrome-plated plastic.
Again, to be blunt: There's a depressingly high number of loudspeakers out there that sell for more than $20,000/pair and make music sound like chrome-plated plastic.