There are big names with a lot of buzz and then some others who offer very high value. These folks sell direct, have a lot of experience, and don’t advertise much. Two examples: Fritz and Ascend. In my view, spending 2-3K with these folks is like spending double or triple with other makers who have a lot of overhead, marketing, etc.
That said, everyone has their favorites and their tastes. What I think is hard to dispute is that the more $$s that go to the speakers’ parts and design, the better. Glossy ads and lots of overhead just divert your money to aspect which won’t pay off in your actual listening.