Marty, not sure why the 2k ones do it for you over the 10k ones. Maybe there is something major missing in the more expensive three you have or you have the smaller system in an area where you listen more often. Personally, I've owned and still do a few different systems in different rooms in my house. Whenever I can listen to my major system with the Vandy Treo's, I"m all in. It's the one that I connect with and love to listen to for hours and hours. That's just me.
When I say reverse snobbery, it really is when folks make blanket statements that spending over X amount isn't worth it or it's a waste etc.. The bottom line is that if folks want to spend that and feel that it is worth it, then it is if they can afford it. I can't afford speakers over 15k and even then it's a STRETCH. That doesn't mean that I feel anything over that is a waste. My favorite speakers I've ever heard in a system are the Vandersteen 7 mk2's. I've heard a lot of the 100k plus speakers set up the way the dealer or manufacturer wanted them set up. They just haven't done it for me, but there are thousands who love them or they wouldn't be produced. Conversely, it is snobbery when someone says you can't get great sound unless you spend X amount. I fell in love with a system that consisted of a Rotel integrated amp with a Vandersteen 2 that was set up properly. It was running with an Ayre Codex DAC/headphone amp.
I'm also into personal audio and have a few pair of IEM's as well as headphones. They all give me different things and are easy to collect. I can say that in personal audio, you can get dynamic and wonderfully sounding music for very little if you want to. You can also get unbelievable sound if you want to spend more money just like in speakers. I do feel snobbery goes both ways just like it can in anything else. That's not a negative as we are just passionate folks (as long as we are still respectful. I try to be, but probably don't always succeed).
When I say reverse snobbery, it really is when folks make blanket statements that spending over X amount isn't worth it or it's a waste etc.. The bottom line is that if folks want to spend that and feel that it is worth it, then it is if they can afford it. I can't afford speakers over 15k and even then it's a STRETCH. That doesn't mean that I feel anything over that is a waste. My favorite speakers I've ever heard in a system are the Vandersteen 7 mk2's. I've heard a lot of the 100k plus speakers set up the way the dealer or manufacturer wanted them set up. They just haven't done it for me, but there are thousands who love them or they wouldn't be produced. Conversely, it is snobbery when someone says you can't get great sound unless you spend X amount. I fell in love with a system that consisted of a Rotel integrated amp with a Vandersteen 2 that was set up properly. It was running with an Ayre Codex DAC/headphone amp.
I'm also into personal audio and have a few pair of IEM's as well as headphones. They all give me different things and are easy to collect. I can say that in personal audio, you can get dynamic and wonderfully sounding music for very little if you want to. You can also get unbelievable sound if you want to spend more money just like in speakers. I do feel snobbery goes both ways just like it can in anything else. That's not a negative as we are just passionate folks (as long as we are still respectful. I try to be, but probably don't always succeed).