Shahinian Obelisk vs VandersteenTreo

that link takes me right to Manaforts lawyer.... just kidding
i like your attitudes about not  having an understudy visible and yet waiting in the wings... so i have a vintage room system where i keep the backups - its really is a work room....

certainly visually stunning !!!!!

I had a similar trouble with my 5A Vandersteens. I sent the driver to Vandersteen who said they were fine (not what you want to hear). After pulling the tweeter, et al, I sent back the crossover and amp. It seems that in pulling the crossover, I accidentally bent a wire that was touching something else.(very hard to slide that sucker out) It was bent back into place.....the speaker sounds great now. (don’t know if that’s your problem, but just telling you of mine) Make sure when you replace everything, it goes back into the proper enclosure.

@gdnrbob, congrats on the Ayre amps!!! I know you were itching to try a pair. Let us know how they work out for you.

Tom,
They also sound incredibly natural. But. The room thing is really essential.
I do have two extra amps (a Stingray II (a keeper) and an ARC CA50 and 3 extra pairs of speakers (all on sale). So I guess you can say I do have a spare system. For now ;-) But in my second location - I have to confess - I am using a single Bluetooth speaker (a Marshall Woburn, replica of Marshall guitar amps). No hifi, but easy to use and good for easy listening and movies. And HUGE ported bass :-)

Stingreen,
Thanks. Will keep your advice in mind.