Which is Best loudspeaker in the $1000-1200 range?

I'm glad you can learn about all the products I have experience with in my system post. Talk about an open mind. You have no clue what gear I've been through.

You are the one that needs to open their mind. It bothers you that I like a company that has a lot of recognition.

The great thing about people like you is no matter what I say, you will have a response.

I will bow out, as the original poster has learned nothing from this.

I disagree: the OP learnt among other things that B&W's (and many others) pricing is made of a minimum of 40% marketing costs (distri channel + advertising). Or, how to get a $1,000 pair of speakers that sounds like a $2,500 one: stay away from the heavy mass-marketed brands and buy local brands if possible to also save on international shipping and duties (Dah!). Make it a 50% saving total then!

Not bad and right on topic. What did the OP learnt from you? B&W or nothing. Brilliant!

Beheme's conclusions do make sense. But there's also the point that sometimes the taxes that firms pay to export are smaller than the taxes they pay to sell in the internal market, and this may actually make exports cheaper, even when you include shipping costs. Maybe that's why the cost of a pair of B&W's in the US is the same as the cost in the UK!

The analysis about marketing expenses are impecable, though. Some firms do spend too much trying to prove how good they are.

The analysis about marketing expenses are impecable, though. Some firms do spend too much trying to prove how good they are.

We have no knowledge of what percent B&W spends on advertising; don't go by some off the cuff statements made on the internet as if they are fact. Furthermore, that is a sorry gauge about a product anyway.

Buying “local brands” can have its own pitfalls and certainly isn’t any guarantee of a good product and a larger company can have advantages because of greater resources.

i second spendor(maybe s5e), for its outstanding midrange performance and polite though extremely tunefull bass.