panel speaker purchase

gentlemen:

i have two panel speakers on my short list:

the analaysis audio epsilon and the podium from england.

i am going to ces next month and will listen to both of them. i am not thrilled with the price of the analysis audio speakers, namely 13200.

i will be able to get a 45 percent reviewer's accomodation discount if buying the analysis audio speaker but it is an expensive purchase. the podium speaker is $7900 and therefore would cost much less. we'll see.

if neither pans out, there is a full range martin logan speaker on the horizon, the clx, expected introduction, june to december of 2008.

I would go with the 3.6's as they are an easy load to drive still you need a lot of good old tube power to drive them like AR vt-200.You will need at least 100 watts of tube power to drive anything bigger than what you have.

one of the reasons i am lookin for another speaker is the treble response of the 1.6. the 3.6 ribbon tweeter is more revealing than the quasi ribbon tweeter of the 1.6 .

i have heard the 3.6 speaker at dealer's and at ces.
i have heard it driven with audio research amps. the speaker is too revealing for my taste. i prefer an apogee-like presentation. a friend has the apogee duetta signature driven by a cj mv 125 amp.

i will be able to get a 45 percent reviewer's accomodation discount if buying the analysis audio speaker but it is an expensive purchase

How would you feel about writing a review in this case?

Upon reading this perhaps another manufacturer may up the ante and give you a 50% discount on a similar priced speaker....those Soundlabs are really good but they ain't cheap!

I like the way you play MrTennis ...the ball is in their court. Advantage MrTennis!

i'm a straight shooter. very often i write the review and then buy the component. many times i buy a component with the understanding that i won't write a review.

if you read my reviews you will notice that many of the components i have reviewed, i don't own. also some of the components i do own i have not reviewed.

since i am unbiased in my reviews i could very well criticize a component even if i own it. in the case of the speaker, if i bought it, i would not review it.