Shahinian Obelisk vs VandersteenTreo

JohnnyR,
Many an audiophile will not concur with your statement on little importance of electronics (or, say,  WIRES - the marketing myth that never fails to amuse me).
I, however, will.

And in no way did I want to call NAD lowly )))
I just think that engineering-wise and component-wise one could expect more from a less "budget" brand. This translates into reliability, which is important for us cost-minding guys, who don’t like to buy new. Also, matching all those parameters (sensitivity, impedance, current, blablabla) sometimes really matters...
But. I do hear you about Quatros. If that pair (or another one) is still on sale in a month, when I am back from my US vacation, I will get them. 

@audioconnection 
Yes, I forgot that you need an amp in connection.
@ja_zz 
You did refer to NAD as:

 I don't believe in NAD being high-end equipment

Bob

I would try to avoid the Quatros woods with lower midrange suckout. It is disctracting. I believe it is the first version. There is a later, non-CT iteration that did not have that problem. The quatros mostly solve the bass issue of the treos.

Bob,
True, bit "lowly"?? A much stringere Word IMO.

Ohlala,
Thanks, nitty how do you distinguish them?

Sorry, Italian keyboard kicking in on my smartphone... stringere=stronger
Nitty=but