B&W matrix 801 s2 still a relavant speaker.

I own a pair of 1959 JBL C36s with the 030 speaker and cossover set in it. They belonged to my father and they will always be relevant. Even after the Japanese passion for them dies down and dissapears. I hope my son keeps them the way I have.

Don't confuse marketing with design competence. If it's good, it's always going to be just that no matter what it is.

@ Zenblaster: Wow, $1500, that's quite a bargain. That's a lot of speaker for the money. But yeah, an investment in big amps and what have you is necessary.

Yes. I tried to push mine with 200 wpc Levinsons and never really got them going. Perhaps they're the only dynamic speakers that should be plugged into a wall outlet! (Just kidding). BIG, SOLID STATE CURRENT PUMPS are a necessity and proper cabling (don't get anything too "soft") is my opinion.

I drove my pair with a levinson 23.5 amp (200w/ch) with wonderful sound.
the midrange driver (kevlar) is still very relevant, and the bass extension, esp.
with an alignment filter, is still difficult to top, although the bass driver lags a bit behind the other drivers (which are very fast reacting). Of course you can further modify them with better crossovers, and good stands are absolutely essential- i had sound anchors with tip-toes that worked VERY well.
Of course, when i upgraded to Eggleston Andra speakers, the superior integration of the drivers was instantly noticeable from the 1st note, but comparing $5K speakers to $14K speakers isn't fair. OTOH if you give up size for quality, you can get great sound for $4K-$5K, just without deep bass.
the 802's are also a great choice- quicker bass with the same level of quality, and less money.