Part of my OP came from a recent discussion that I had with a very very well heeled friend who can easily afford anything in high end audio. To this gent, a multi million dollar system is no strain on the pocketbook. What interested me was his comment that he will not spend any money on a product that he sees as having a minimum value to cost ratio. We discussed several speakers ( not Rockport’s, and certainly not the Orion), but others that we all know and would respect, but few here can acquire. My friend commented that one of the reasons he is able to actually afford all of these products is also because he has the discriminatory ability to not get ’taken’, as he put it. Just to add another perspective to the narrative here.
Don’t get me wrong, this gent has a system that most would envy, but it has been put together with some considerable thought, and he always bought used or at a considerable discount, as far as I know.