When a budget speaker is preferred to a high end one...

For a start is there any reason to believe outrageous designs adopted by some manufacturers can possibly provide any improvement?

Other than bragging rights. They must be brilliant by default. They're more ostentatious than yours!

Love 'em or hate 'em, your focus is drawn to 'em. The opposite of what is preferable.

My main speakers cost 20 times my digital source and 4 times my analog source. Jokes on you @juanmanuelfangioii .

@audiotroy , musicality is mainly frequency response and even the most accurate speakers need room treatment and/or equalization for good frequency response. Accuracy I would assign to distortion and I have never wanted more in a speaker.

Why would I ever want a warm DAC. Why not just equalize as needed.

Decades ago in the 1970s i worked for a Philadelphia area chain, Wall To Wall Sound. As a come on we advertised Dynaco A25 speakers at a price I made no Commision. We also sold the original JBL 100s and the original Heil speakers for 4 to 5 times the A25 price. It was no contest. The Dynacos were smoother, less colored and had better bass. 

@theaudioamp shows how stupid you are.. So your digital source cost $1.00