Thanks guys.
Finishing is not my strong point so I just used a latex varnish. Pretty hard to fail using latex even though you wouldn't mistake it for a finer finish.The wood will yellow a bit with time. They really look quite good in person.
Soundwise, when I first started them up I was like
, this is what all the fuss is about?
I've been listening for a while now, from my less than ideal usual position, and let me say this: hell yes
! They kind of sneak up on you. As everyone has said they are detailed and smooth. I wouldn't have thought that it is possible to have great detail but that doesn't jump out at you. I'm listening to Vivaldi by the Canadian Brass, something I haven't listened to in a long time because it just didn't sound good with either my x-ls or previously on the Mission MTM floorstanders I had. Now it is just fantastic. I can also listen at lower volumes and sitting off a center they are
much more compelling than my x-ls (which have the upgraded crossover and No-Rez). The bass using the x-sub is so much more to my liking than with the x-ls. When I switched back to them I find they have a bloated bottom end.
So far I am very happy. I expect they will "open up" some as they break in. Also looking forward to the bypass cap upgrade but I just hope that this does not bring me anywhere near to brightness.
