Frequency response is but one measure of a speaker’s performance. What I find equally important is its directivity - the uniformity by which it delivers those frequencies.
At one end of the spectrum, you have horrible examples like the JBL L100/4311 where both the woofer and midrange are driven beyond their optimum range causing a “shrinking” of perspective at the top of their respective ranges - only to mate with the next driver that is sitting in its sweet spot exhibiting vast contrast. Very much like the effect of a “fun mirror” where certain frequency bands deliver a different width than others.
I have to take umbrage with this statement. I have always found that JBL (true) studio monitors to be the most accurate speakers out there. I used a pair of 4311's in a recording studio for three years and after many LP's and singles were cut from them, I got many fine compliments about the balance of the mixes. If the speakers were "horrible examples", the mixes wouldn't have translated so well to other systems. A producer from the Power Station in NYC once commented that he thought it was a 'Pro' 2", 24 track recording, yet it was only a semi-pro 1/2" 8 trk. recording. "Further to impale thought", I use JBL 4208's at work, the "pot belly" ones. They do look silly but sound so perfect with flat EQ and proper volume.