i have had a pair of arros since 1998. i have not listened to the others, but i can tell you that my arros connected to a good 200 per ch amp and denon cd player with variable volume. straight in without a preamp, is one of the most pleasing sounds i have ever heard, even having an elaborate linn home theater sound system at home. the imaging and crispness is just unlike i hear with anything else. i would never get rid of them. even if i spent more, got a good but different sounde, i would always want to listen to this little system.