How to Buy Speakers

I always thought the proper way to buy a set of speakers was from a shady guy in the back of an alley. Hey man, I will sell you this 20" subwoofer for $40. An ever so slightly more technical and thorough method is one presented by Sound And Vision. In a nutshell, audition audition, AUDITION!

From the article:

But before you even enter a store, take a moment
to nail down your precise needs. Are you looking for a complete
six-speaker surround sound system, or a simple stereo pair? Is your
room big enough to accommodate tower models, or will a compact system
that uses small satellites and a subwoofer be a better fit? Do you want
regular freestanding speakers or on-wall, in-wall, or even ceiling
models? If you can supply a list of specific information to the
salesman at the outset, the transaction is likely to go down a lot
smoother.