Why have the prices of Marantz and Sansui speakers have gone up so much? Whyyyy???

That's very interesting schubert. I have long been aware that British speakers share a voicing, one prioritizing natural vocal and instrumental timbres. Traditional Japanese instruments and music have a very different sound than does Western music, so why wouldn't their speakers be voiced differently than Western speakers? 

Something to consider: my 55 year-old ears don’t hear frequencies above 16khz. As such, my recapped Marantz Imperial 6 speakers sound (to me) as good as, or better than, many modern speakers costing 10 times as much. Smooth, creamy, and eminently “listenable.” Younger folks with fully functioning ears are most likely hearing things which are completely lost on old farts like myself ;-). As far as the Kabuki speakers sold by the likes of Marantz and Sansui (among others) back in the day, they were always a joke, but some folks get a kick out of them. I get that. Fun is fun...

I collect and love lots of vintage equipment and can honestly say that Marantz and Sansui speakers are the worst of the lot. 
I’d take realistic or technics over those and that’s not saying much. 

I've got a pair of Marantz Imperial 7s driven by my Kenwood L09ms and using a Marantz 2275 as a preamp and an oppo 95 for a source and it's audio nirvana.

My friend gave me a set of Realistic speakers and they sound like ass, but I'd like to give them to you.  They might be good for you.

I find alot of newer speakers quite ear fitiguing. I am not talking about higher end newer speaker's more $2k.

My isobarik linns, celestion ditton's, Revox Agora b and Infinity Kappa 8' impress everyone that hear them. 
Forgot about the AR9 I recently sold.