Lester:
I had a pair of the original DA-1s, upgraded to the DA-1.1s and then had all of the upgrades to these (AP Crossover, V2 Upgrades, Trim Rings, ETC) except for the new 8" woofers. I would confirm what Lou has said--even without the upgrades the DA-1.1 is quite superior to the original DA-1. Both share several key similarities (absence of fatigue, seamless integration of drivers, correct tonality) but the unmodified DA-1.1 is far more resolving, spacious and dynamic sounding. With the above referenced mods, the DA-1.1 becomes a keeper for life. That said, since introducing the DA-1.1 Lou has added greater variety to his lineup, including several speakers that are less expensive than his full range offerings but deliver VERY high performance. For example, the Muse, which I heard at CAF, is a really nice sounding speaker that gives you a good taste of his larger and more elaborate models. Though I have not heard it, my understanding is that the Athena is also a very strong performer and an excellent value for money. My suggestion would be to chat with Lou about your room, current system, hopes and dreams, and see if you can swing a current production pair that reflects all of his latest thinking about speaker design. I think you will be much happier going this route than spending $4K on a pair of DA-1s which cannot be upgraded and which do not embody the whole of Lou's talent and experience.