When I bought my KEF 105/3s over 25 years ago, I was able to audition speakers by KEF, Celestion, Quad, Wharfedale and Tannoy on the same day at the same dealer, in the same room and with two or three alternative amplifier and turntable combinations over several hours. The choice, for me, was obvious and I have been so satisfied over the years that I had the KEFs professionally restored, updated and recalibrated a couple of years ago.
Now that I have upgraded my system with up to date Naim, Rega and Dynavector equipment, I know that the speakers are the weakest link in the chain.
I have now had the opportunity to audition some new PMC 26 and new old stock PMC PB1i signature speakers but, inevitably, in different locations on different days with similar but not identical Naim equipment.
It seems impossible, nowadays, to experience comparative auditions of expensive speakers in the same place and on the same day. I am certain that both pairs of PMCs are a big improvement on the KEFs, which is not surprising, but I really can't tell which I prefer due to the different environments and time interval between the auditions. It will be impossible for me to audition the PMC PB1i pair at my house so I am left in a quandary.
This sort of dilemma must affect audiophiles frequently. The days of large dealers with lots of high end demonstration equipment and plenty of time seem to be over - at least in my part of the country. The boss prefers the look of the PB1i's (and so do I but I wouldn't admit it to anyone). To choose on that basis would be almost worse than flicking a coin.
One could buy both pairs with a view to selling one but that would be a step on the road to divorce and I still love the boss even more than the music. Such are the pitfalls of obsession.
Posted on: 18 January 2016 by james n
Home audition is essential i'm afraid. I narrow down my choice at the dealers with their help and a demo and then have a home demo of the favourite(s) and choose from there. Nothing worse than making your mind up on a shop demo, only to find you suffer interactions with your room. I'm never that relaxed at the dealers so having speakers at home to listen to over a few days really works for me.
Posted on: 18 January 2016 by Harry
Long term home audition is how we do it here. Have some at home for a minimum of a week (up to eight weeks last time we were in the market for speakers) and take as much time as you need. It took us a year last time to get to our final choice. Listening in other rooms may be comparatively instructive but you will never know until you hear them in your room. If you are unable to do home auditions you are in the dark and might as well take pot luck. Nothing anybody else thinks or hears applies to your ears, system or room. We are fortunate to have a good relationship with a good dealer.
Posted on: 18 January 2016 by ChrisSU
I think many dealers would be reluctant to offer a home dem to someone who they don't know, so walking in the door and asking for one might not be the best approach. You can narrow down your shortlist by listening at a dealers. Then when he knows you're serious, he might be more forthcoming. This might take a long time, especially with different brands and different dealers, but it can still be a positive, enjoyable experience, and you've still got your own gear at home to listen to.
An alternative approach that can be useful is to buy used speakers, try them at home for as long as you like, sell them on, hopefully for little or no loss, if they don't work for you.
Posted on: 18 January 2016 by sunbeamgls
Its usually easier from a dealer that you've had a long term relationship with. But I'm really confused by dealers who won't do home dems on the kind of speaker costs you're considering, particularly given how hard it is to sell any kind of higher end hifi these days. They should be making the best of every opportunity. They can take a credit card deposit and the balance as a "hold" on the card if they need security.
A dealer that I'm completely new to has just provided Twenty.26s for home dem over a 6 day period. So it is possible, with a good dealer.
Posted on: 18 January 2016 by coiledmagnet
Thanks for all of the replies above.
I can certainly get a home dem of the PMC twenty.26 pair from a dealer with whom I have a good relationship. I don't know the dealer who has the PMC PB1i's and distance would be a problem.
I think that is the best solution. I didn't really expect anyone to say that one or the other is the obvious or likely choice and I shall never forget the unexpectedly astonishing difference between about half a dozen pairs of speakers of not dissimilar price using the same equipment all those years ago. I was also a bit shocked that I really only liked one of them, which was fortunate, and I never regretted it. Better not dispose of the KEFs for a good while.
Posted on: 19 January 2016 by Adam Zielinski
In your listening room, with your own equipment.
Any dealer worth their salt will lend you speakers for extended demos. If yours tries to tell you differently, just dismis them. Do rememeber - they are here to sell the stuff to you, not other way round 
