Hi Jafant (Mr Theil, lol).... Welcome. I need to get to LI to hear your system and you are always invited to CT to come listen. I will get Sam Laufer who owns Laufer Teknik's to come over and show off his source gear and DAC. Pizza is on me! lol.
Guys, Richard is the most conservative designer I've ever met. He constantly finds better components for crossover, wiring, boards, solder, teflon connection strips and the list goes on. He implements these changes over the years without coming out with Mk 2,3,4,5 etc... unlike most other speaker designers. HE's frugal beyond all get out (most of the older timers were, including Jim Thiel, for jafant!).
He only comes out with a different number or 'signature' when there are so many changes that it makes sense. I know that we all hear differently, and for those of you who have spoken with Richard, you know he's a no BS guy in every way of his life. For anyone to think this isn't a much much better speaker (for only $100 more), when you haven' heard it, it's not fair to make the statement that things are anticlimactic.
Go listen before feeling it's anticlimactic.