adante

At $1500 a pair (the close-out price) I think they are interesting because while I think the R3 is better overrall, it's an extra $500 for a smaller cabinet and better bass extension. It certainly adds a lot of pressure in the $1-2k market.

It adds zero pressure.  You are delusional if you think this will have any effect other than people buying them blind at Music Direct because of the “deal” and then convincing themselves they like them. 

If they are bigger than the average monitor and now going for a discount, then that sounds like a deal. More speaker per $$. Just match them up right as suggested which has to be done in most any case anyhow to get things to sound best.

Also older ears that no longer hear flat to 20khz may tend to like a tipped up top end more so than otherwise.

It’s always shortsighted to focus just on the gear. The person is part of the system that determines the final results and only they know what they hear and like. That’s why no speaker will ever dominate the market alone no matter how good or flat technically it is.

Cage match!  White elephant vs. elephant in the room.