These seem a bit pricey $$$

The Wilson Watt/Puppy 3/2 sold for $12K when I first saw (and got to hear) a pair in a local store. They were very solidly built and had a reputation for being "bullit-proof"- playing VERY loud without distortion.
When I listened to them I could not locate their position in the room, which was a 1st time experience for me. Down the road a bit another dealer demo'ed a different speaker to me made of much less expensive cabinet materials. However the technology #2 used was also very different, and sounded extremely good as well- maybe even better in certain respects. It retailed for 1/3rd the cost, but- it didn't look all that great- the good sound came from inside the enclosure, and the outside was mostly a black-cloth covering the frame (no, not Vandersteens).
Both companies are still around today, and to be frank #2 is now very expensive also. But Aesthetics play a role in what you want in YOUR room,
and speakers make more of a difference than any other single component. Somehow Magico Q-1 bookshelfs just HAVE to be miraculously good,
and if they're not I would be very surprised, even disappointed. Don't ask me why- it would be like someone telling me all that effort designing them was done by an engineer that doesn't listen to a lot of music themselves when they go home. Are they worth all that money? No, and Yes- and....Maybe. But it would HAVE to make beautiful music and make the person that bought them extremely happy. For me it would have to blow my mind when listening to chamber music or a well recorded piano. But it's ALL crazy, even my talking about two little metal boxes
that cost more than my last car. I am just in love with all the beautiful sounding instruments played on records these days (not to mention voices). OTOH, as for CGI movies played on 4K televisions, many of them don't entertain me, so I can get by with a much more basic video system. 

I am sure it costs more to get a box speaker with cone drivers to work really well than an open baffle planar speaker such as Magnepan. Crossovers are more complicated in cone speakers in a box because they have to deal with back EMF at different frequencies which are influenced by the mechanical properties of the cone and the surround and coil geometry. Cone drivers have more mass and make damping factor more significant. Cabinets have to be braced and soundproofed to stop cabinet noise. But they are very dynamic.
To me, the less expensive Magnepans sound more like a live purely acoustical orchestra in a concert hall. Everyone should try the different kinds of speakers and amplifiers because there will be differences in what people prefer.

The Swiss have never (there must be exceptions) offered value for money. It's intrinsic to their culture. HDF is pricier but unless they're using the very best Teflon capacitors, wiring, Vishays etc. then the value is certainly unexceptional. The drivers are somewhat on the ordinary side too. No novel egineering. I don't think they care. They've developed a business model with likely a small group of dealers that allows a profit.  It's likely gravy on top of European sales.  It looks a touch cynical to most of us, but they've factored that in & can likely make money w/o bothering with as many pesky Americans, as they would otherwise. 

My engineering/cable manufacturing friend built his small stand speakers based on an old Aiwa platform which has a 12'  folded interior quasi-transmission line design.  It uses a similar soft dome tweeter and 4.5" mid-woofer.  It plays down to 25 Hz without power.  Low organ notes are heard but not felt (obviously).  Cost to build with custom crossover and cabinet is under $500.  It would be comparable to a $3500 to $5000 retail.  It has every bit as good sound as a Legacy Focus speaker but for the bass and that speaker retails for $10k+.  

I've also noted that Swiss made audio products tend to retail for twice as much as comparable products.  There is so much competition, I don't know how these boutique manufacturers stay in business without absolutely superior products for the money.  My friends' business is booming and he has stacks of orders for superior handmade patented cables at low retail price direct to customers (hence no 50% mark-up there).  His highest priced ($700-$1000) Pharoah line suffers though because when potential customers discover their low price, they balk saying that they must be inferior to high priced cables ($5K and up).  This is a common occurrence (despite the money back 60 day guarantee).   

Many audiophiles are just not wise in spending money to acquire quality sounding products.  Snobbery is rampant in this hobby.  

I think it is a good review.  Speakers that look plain need to be reviewed even more - if you judged by looks alone you would buy Spendor A4s.  One thing that good speakers do is to image well and that was Steve's first focus.  Would I buy them?  No way.  My experience of Swiss products in general is that they are good but always over-priced.  I only have a single such Hi-Fi product - a Daniel Hertz M6 Pre.  It is very good but with, as expected, a very high price.