Ackermann's findings are good example of why I was a psych major undergrad. There's a whole lot going on with our emotions and behaviors, a lot of which we aren't even aware of.
Anyway, what I'm going to write is completely my opinion. If you agree that's fine, and if you don't, then that's fine too. For me, the emotional angle is what's most important when listening to music. Being accurate, having a wide and deep soundstage, etc, adds to the music, but in the end, they are just gravy. It's more about the feelings the equipment conveys to me. For example, I had a pair of Onix Reference 1.5's that were clean and accurate. But they always seemed somewhat lacking. I later put in a pair of Hawthorne SI's, which are not the most accurate speakers in the world. Afterwards, I couldn't go back to the Refs. Whether it was the open baffle sound, the coloring, or whatever, it was more fun. The music was just more engaging.
It's about what moves you, not the specs. And your emotions can be tainted by outside things, like what's going on in your life and how much you paid for the equipment. Being an objective listener rather than a subjective one is fine, but it's not always representative of real life nor most of the time that you spend listening to music.
Music is spiritual, which often means that it's personal. And for myself, as long as I've found what stirs me, then it doesn't really matter what the measurements are or if anyone else likes it.
