It's nice to know that I wasn't the only one who noticed the lack of a price-to-speaker relationship. Floyd Toole hinted at it in some of his Harman International articles, but his current employer still seems to be a prolific source of those dogs.
The truth is a letdown, because I have an emotional need to believe that more money = less compromises, and therefore, better sound. (I'll admit I love hi-fi equipment more than I do music. After all, everyone's just one more purchase away from audio perfection.)
A local audio salon holds regular wine and cheese parties for patrons to audition their stereo speakers, usually priced between $20k and $150k (Cdn), and I didn't think they really sounded better than other Canadian speakers I've auditioned for 1/100th the price. Louder and more bass, yes. Prettier, oh yes. More neutral and smoother, no. Of course, you can't mention that to the attending cognoscente, b/c they'll think you're unworthy of their special club.
