You're always going to be paying extra for a real wood finish--you can do the same with Axioms.

What you should do is try to listen to them yourself. I have not heard the Aperions, but the M80s (and 60s, and 50s, and 22s, and 3s, etc...) which I have heard and now own make me say, "Wow!" If the speaker's not doing that for you, it's not the right speaker for you.

I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!