system
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human
ELI5: What’s the physical difference between a low end budget speaker and a high end pro one?

More specifically I’m wondering about the speaker cone itself. Is it anything to do with speaker cone materials, shape, design, testing, etc, or is the biggest difference found in the drivers? (I realise brand and to a lesser extent quality of electronics makes a difference to price.)

Bonus question: is it possible to get some indication just by visually inspecting the cone?
gpt
First, high-end and professional speakers are not the same. What you hear during concert will never work well at home.
Second, speakers and speaker cones are very important, but it's just part of what makes a high-quality speaker.
Budget speaker cones are made basically from paper with flimsy suspensions and tiny coils.
The quality drivers are heavy, with very stiff and light cones, often made from composites and exotic materials.
Generally, speakers to be high quality have to be very stiff - and usually heavy. Plastic is one of the worst materials for speakers.

I don't think there is a way to judge the driver visually only, there is much more to it.