Hi Mike,

Welcome to the forum.

One of the nice things about the speakers are their dispursion characteristics, you do not have to be in the sweet spot to enjoy them. As much as I like to sit down and listen to some good music, I do not have a lot of time to do that.

The midrange on the 170 is great. I think it is some of the best I have heard in a speaker of its size. As for bad recordings, it will not make them sound better, or less enjoyable.

-curtis