I listened to PSB T3 and Vandersteen Treos at Audio Concepts in Dallas using all the same gear. I much preferred the PSB T3.
Your experience is very familiar to me. After years in this hobby I thought I had reached a level of acceptable fidelity all the while considering the next upgrade.
By chance a friend introduced me to an audio manufacturers sales person who generously offered to listen to my system. After just a few minutes we repositioned my speakers and the improvement was startling. I confessed after all this time I really didn't know much. As he put it, "how could you." The true professionals in this industry usually have an incredible sonic reference from years of experience a consumer could hardly afford.
Long story short he suggested a higher end speaker. I listened to this speaker at stores and shows and, as you, by comparison it just didn't seem to compete with speakers that provided more of everything and at a much lower price.
A pair popped up locally at a reasonable price and I took a flyer knowing they could be sold easily if I didn't like them. Once at home their superiority was immediately realized and the more of everything I thought was of value was put into glaring prospective.
The T3s have a great deal in common with my old speakers and the Treo's have a great deal in common with my Avalons especially in the area of time and phase. After a week in your home the Treos will sound like a single musical point source and the T3s will sound like a box with big bass and sparkling highs which your ear will point directly to.
Anyway that's what happened to me. Good luck with it and have fun.
