I had the pleasure of auditioning the pair at Sigfreid Linkwitz' cottage. All I can say is Wow! They are the best loudspeakers I've ever heard. Yes they are pricy for DIY, but they are better than ANYTHING that the hi end manufacturers build. That is their true competition. Wilson, Von Schweikert, JM Lab, etc. all fall short of the mark. The difference isn't a small one. So a four grand investment, including amps is much better than spending forty grand for a lesser product. The user does have to accept a few absolutes. Eight seperate channels of amplification, tubes need not apply. The only downside is that you need to be able to pull the speakers away from the walls.