I agree with the previous poster, at 8500$ there are certainly as good or at least slightly better speakers that the GE Reference. OTOH, the Reference model is considerably better than any of the Tritons. I found the Tritons more beamy than many electrostatics. I do like the Focals more; but if you like rock, why not look at a comparable (or used!) Vandersteen? I forget the model in that range. there are the CTs orTrios that might be had used in your range, or new less than 5K over the list of the GE Ref. They do a great job of bass response w/o the Ref's slight overemphasis.