[Ozrikconan]

Just finished the build in all black duratex.  Stock with no upgrades.  Home built plywood enclosure.  The soldering is horrific by Danny stds.  The “cabinet” work is crude.  The duratex makes it look better at least. 
In side by side listening comparing to my klipsch RP600Ms, the encores sound fantastic.  Much more detailed highs & mid, much more intelligible singing & speech.  Comparable low mid - upper bass .  The klipschs are more efficient and i expected better dynamics, but the encores reproduced percussion, cymbals and other transients more clearly and crisply.   

Of course now i am wondering what the hot rodded encore would be like.

I built one, and am now considering a 2nd for main room stereo listening.  The RP600Ms may have just been demoted to garage duty. 

[corndog71]

I used to rock a pair of X-CS' and loved them.  I still kind of miss them but have no room for them now.  The sonicap upgrade gives a little more clarity and detail. 

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Tube connectors will give you the biggest upgrade in detail & clarity. Upgrading the caps will take full advantage of that added clarity & detail.

And for ease of use, and the fun of A/B comparison, you can run from the binding post into the tube connectors, then to the crossover.

I upgraded my base XLS with tube connectors and it was absolutely worth it, imo