Just wondering of anyone has NRC loudspeaker fidelity score compilations. The handful I have are from the Canadian Sound & Vision magazine, but I know the NRC lab tested hundreds of speakers from the 70's to the 90's.
I understand that only speakers considered very good will score in the 7.0-8.0 range, and the few exceptional speakers scored even higher. The highest scoring stereo pair I've seen is 7.9 for a $7000 model, but various 5.1 packages have score beyond that.(Axiom Audio had a package that scored 8.5!)
As you can see, there was no relationship between price and fidelity score from this small sampling group.
This is what I have so far, not including imaging and surround/spatial impression numbers (all are discontinued models):
S&V Issue/ NRC Fidelity/ Brand/ MSRP/ Model(s)
Home Theatre
02/1997 8.8 Sound Dynamics $1,585 THC-22 main/centre; THR-BP1 surround; THS-1000 sub
09/1996 7.5 PSB $2,600 1000main, Stratus C5 centre, Ambient II surround, Subsonic II sub
08/1996 8.1 Celestion $1,999 Home Theatre in a Box
05/1996 7.1 Cerwin-Vega $2,150 HT-MDC main/centre; HT-S5 surround; HT12-PWR sub
04/1996 8.5 Polk $4,350 RT16 main, CS350-LS centre; LS f/x surround; PSW200 sub
09/1995 8.5 Axiom $700 AX1.2 main/surround; AX1.2 centre, AX120 sub
09/1995 7.2 Monitor Audio $3,197 300 Home Theatre system: 202 main, C300 centre, 302 surround; no sub
02/1995 N/A Bose $2,799 Lifestyle 12 Home Theatre
03/1994 7.1 Cerwin-Vega $1,770 HT-S6 main; HT-CTR centre; HT-S5 surround; HT-12D sub
10/1993 7.3 Paradigm $890 Titan main, CC-200 centre, Atom surround, SB-100 sub
04/1993 7.3 Energy $1,400 Home Theatre system: ESAT-2 main/surround; ECC-1 centre, ESUB-2 sub
Stereo Pair
02/1997 7.4 Acoustic Profiles $999 PSL-8835
04/1996 7.6 Acoustic Profiles $799 PSL-8825
11/1995 7.8 Energy $600 Energy C-2 Connoisseur
11/1995 7.7 Paradigm $360 Mini-Mk3
11/1995 7.8 PSB $1,500 Stratus Silver
09/1995 7.2 Paradigm $450 ADP-150 dipole surround
10/1994 7.5 B&W $4,600 Matrix 802 Series 3
10/1994 7.9 Energy $7,000 Veritas v.2.8
09/1993 7.2 Harman Kardon $3,198 Harman Kardon Sixty
09/1993 7.2 Mirage $500 M-290
07/1993 7.3 Acoustic Profiles $699 PSL 66.2
07/1993 7.3 Paradigm $320 Phantom
04/1993 6.6 KEF $550 K140
04/1993 6.5 Wharfedale $439 Diamond V
02/1992 6.5 Acoustic Research $799 M4
02/1992 7.2 Audiosphere Profile $349 PSL 6.1
02/1992 7.4 Castle $3,660 Winchester
02/1992 7.1 Ethera $2,700 Vitae
02/1992 7.3 Mirage $750 M-490
