Boutique or Big Brand?

If you don’t know exactly what you want buy from someplace with a proven good return policy.  That’s all. 

Listening to speakers before purchase is really important. They need to speak to you… not just have lots of detail and bass.

After decades of planar speakers… I was with a friend while he auditioned speakers.. I was really touched with the incredible organic - real musical sound sound of Sonus Faber. I couldn’t get them out of my mind. A few years later I finally gave in and bought a pair as an experiment. That was it… they were way more natural than other speakers… no chance of me switching brands after that. I traded up twice. I optimized my electronics around the speakers… now have the best system I have heard, tailored to my tastes. My earlier mistake was concentrating on details and slam and not on musical. Do I really need to hear the bassist move his foot? Don’t get me wrong, you can hear that in my system,  but it does not detract from the music. 

There are a lot of advantages to established high end brands. There top level speakers push what is possible, and the technology trickles down (good speakers you will constantly discover strengths you didn’t know about over time) to less expensive models. Higher resale value. Once you have found the sound you want,,, upgrading becomes much easier, just move up a couple levels. I remember all too well swapping speakers I thought sounded great at store and once home they sounded vastly different. Had to tweak all my electronics to achieve the sound I heard.

Choosing audio equipment… each piece is hard. If you can find an established speaker company then electronics that complement them… each upgrade can be much easier and more predictable. My system under my ID.

Of course, you have to know what you like. That probably took me thirty years to figure out.

Good post OP.  I am quietly shopping but with a wider price range and instead just focusing on what appeals to my ear in relation to cost.  There are many brands online but hard to find them local to listen to, and ordering and return shipping is too much work for me if I don't like them since the speakers can weigh over 60 lbs each.  I am trying to focus on the brands that I can listen to before I buy, which is hugely important for speakers.  I seem to be leaning to the known brands for resale and repair, but those are less of a concern.  Sound is the most important consideration and hearing is knowing. IMO, once you verify something is well made and will last, just focus on what sounds good to you regardless of if it is a large brand or boutique based listening.  I think the bottle neck will be what you can find to listen to.  When we/I go on vacation, I always try to visit a store or two to expand what I can listen to.  

To the other posters, great input and made me think of a few new things and reinforce some others.  

Big brands tend to give you more for you money sometimes. 
 

look at the build quality of the 800 series. It is outstanding, a small brand would be twice as much. I don’t like the sound of B&W but there is no denying the 800 have an amazing build quality.
 

 Then there are brands like revel. A true engineering powerhouse with real double blind testing. Their “cheap” 226be is simple great at $7000 I would put them up agents the focal Sopra line at 3 times the price. Is the Sopra better… yeah probably as it sounds more open but they are so close it might blow your mind at the price difference.
 

then brands like Sonus Faber look simply stunning. Wow, that finish would be crazy expensive from a smaller brand. They sound good too. 
 

so for me I would look at Revel, Sonus Faber or similar brand (too many to name) and if you don’t like the sound of those expand to other smaller brands. These two brands offer a lot for the money.  Used Olympica III are a great buy right now. Revel’s used prices seem a touch high to me but new they are a good deal.
 

lots of used Wilson out there too. Way over priced new but used probably ok and they hold their value.  

Why not have a look at some Tannoys? I think the Cheviots can be had for around 6500.....yes, a big brand, but with a sort of bespoke design and feel. Gorgeous speakers.