I've put ~100 hours on my newly upgraded DA-RMA speakers, and I feel I can describe the effects of the poly and V2 upgrades have had on the sound.
The DA-RMA is the predecessor to the Athena. According to Lou, his intention in creating the Athena was to package the DA-RMA in a single box. (The Athena cabinets did change the sound for the better, though, according to Lou).
I have had an addiction to ribbon tweeters for the last 20 years or so, and I think I have owned or heard all the commercially available ribbon tweeters, including standouts such as the Raven and RAAL. Even the best domes I heard, and that includes nearly all the big $ domes on the market, to me sound closed-in on top. I never thought I would hear a conventional dome tweeter that I would like as well as the best ribbons.
When I bought my DA-RMAs, which like all Daedalus speakers use the German Eton cloth dome tweeter mated to a wide range custom Fostex "paper" midrange, I felt that while the extra midbass energy and soundstage size were an improvement over my Selah Tempestas (which use the $$$ Accuton ceramic mids and RAAL tweeter) in my room, the top end was not as open, clear and extended. Still very good and superbly natural, and the best of any dome tweeter I'd heard, but not up to the RAAL in focus, air, and extension.
With the V2 I'm happy to say that has changed. Now the top air and detail and separation is there, not quite as prominent as with the RAAL, but fully in balance with the rest of the fabric, as it should be. Not as "WOW" sounding, but spot-on in musical terms. Check this one off - one more audio "truth" shot down!
As to the rest of the sound- instrumental outlines from top to bottom are notably sharper and more defined against a blacker background. I'm listening to the Trinity College Choir as I write this, and I feel I can "see" the choir and EACH singer in the Trinity College Chapel as though I were there, with the wonderful hall ambience as clear and natural as I could hope for.
This improvement in the already wonderful soundstage and image is very substantial, and puts these in the company of the best I've heard at any price in this regard, and that includes a lot of speakers that cost a lot more, up to $200k.
These improvements come with no downside that I've heard.
More dynamic music is served just as well, with all the threads of the recordings kept clear and distinct, even in the most complex and dynamic music, whether electric or acoustic, up to very high volumes. My ears give out before these speakers change character.
Before I had the work done, Lou told me the poly and V2 upgrades would "transform" the speakers. I was a bit skeptical of the use of this word, as the speakers already were the best I'd owned, but I must conclude that this is exactly the right word. These upgrades takes very fine speakers and improves them in some very musically significant ways.
While certainly not cheap, the total price tag still makes them a bargain in the high end of the market, and the heirloom quality cabinets are in a class of their own, IMO.
I would recommend owners of previous Daedalus speakers consider these upgrades before considering trading to more expensive speakers, and those looking to the $10k and up market for new speakers should add one of the V2 models to their must-hear list.
While many high end makers are looking to exotic and expensive high-tech drivers and cabinets (makes for good gee-whiz marketing copy, too), Lou has shown me that craftsmanship and attention to detail can equal or better that approach using seemingly conventional elements executed to a T.
Something to ponder.