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Here I did an extensive week long comparision between M60s and Meadowlark Blue Heron 2s ($12000). A friend temporarily loaned them to me while he was having renovation done. I did over 100 A/B tests using a variety of material.
I had the same initial questions: would there be any difference? How much?
To most listeners they were considerably better. IMO they're not $11,100 better, but that's just MSRP. High end speakers are often considerably discounted (varies by brand). Probably $7k is a better "street" number.
I am very happy with my M60s. Also comparisions should include 2.1 and 5.1 config to the fancy stereo speakers. Wny? those additional surround/sub speakers are still cheaper than the high end stereo speakers.
Speaker sound and voicing is very individualistic, like food or wine. There's no single "sonic truth".
After my extensive comparision I was convinced for well-endowed individuals the Meadowlarks are worth it. It's not snake oil, it's not psychological -- they are really better (to most listeners), at least stereo vs stereo.
Also if external appearance is important, some high end speakers are aesthetically beautiful. That alone is sufficient for some people. However Rockets are pretty nice looking. My dedicating HT room is lighting controlled -- you can barely see the speakers, so Axiom is perfect for me. For other people with an extensive investment in furniture, wood flooring, etc speaker finish and aesthetic design is a bigger factor.
If multichannel surround music is a factor, that changes the playing field a bit. Yes you can get high end surrounds and sub, but that further inflates the already high price. Like the "little people" teaming up on Gulliver, a cheaper multichannel configuration can sound better than a 6->2 downmix on high end speakers.
As the NRC tests showed, you CAN pay lots of money and not get superior sound. However sometimes the additional money translates to audible improvement. Just like some people pay much money for fine wine, there are fine speakers that sound really good.
Axiom is unbeatable from a cost/performance ratio. I love mine and have no regrets. But even Axiom has distinct voicing. Some people may prefer Rocket or Ascend, or a different Axiom model such as the M50.
As your experience indicated, just buying expensive speakers is no guarantee of superior sound. However that doesn't mean the additional money NEVER yields audible benefits.
The motto is always do extensive auditions, in home if possible. Or order Axiom speakers and haul them to a high end shop and do A/B tests. It's fun, it's educational, it may give peace of mind. Any decent mid-to-high end shop should welcome the opportunity.
