[knut_the_viking]

  The customs, however, are works of art, IMO, and I obtain a lot of enjoyment from owning and shooting them.

As an artist, I'm deeply offended that you shoot works of art! 

I am a shooter (IDPA CDP and SSP) and I am nowhere near as offended
 

[HerculePirate]

A comparison by Human hearing cannot be a standard at all. Measurements should.
Then again.....are there Standard measurements ???
Are there any honest manufacturers out there who would publish real measurements ? (just asking.....No Idea...if there are)

[audiotom]

I've been away from this forum a while

I own HT3s and have auditioned Wilson Watt Puppy's a few years ago before owning the Salks in 2007.  The pair I heard were around 16,000

frankly I didn't like the tonal balance nor imaging
the Watt Puppy's seemed lacking - it sounded hi fi ish
it seemed the soundstage had a forced downward driver element
that sounded constrained, not open like the Salk's disappearing  cabinet signature.

then again this wasn't in my home environment but a store demo in large size audio room. I recall they were powering them with vac equipment and a cd/sacd source.

Having been in the "no need to upgrade happy with what I have" mode with my Salk's (I have 2 channel and home theatre setups), and loving their value, I'm not lured by the prestige of owning something expensive for bragging rights, would rather listen to engaging music than equipment

what the salks did do was push me towards even more useful sonic upgrades, vinyl source, system isolation, cables, pre and power amp, the salks incredible characteristics shine even more so and continued to overwelm as I've made every sonic upgrade.