I’ve heard several systems in this price range but only two that really stood out.

The first was focal utopias power by some crazy high powered tube Monoblocks. It was the first time I heard speakers that didn’t sound like the singer was in the room with me but rather I had been transported to the very room where the track was recorded.

The second was a Sonus Fabre system that just floored me. Crazy bass without a subwoofer in site. I do think part of the reason this system impressed me so much was how dynamic it was. My main system consists of magnepan 1.7is and while I absolutely love my systems, those Sonus fabers showed my just how much more dynamic traditional speakers can be.

Honorable mention goes to a system with Klipsch lascalas I heard awhile back. Probably came in around 25k. It may not have gone down as low as many other speaker’s can go but their sound was down right hypnotic. I didn’t get to spend nearly as much time with them as I would have liked and the memory has faded but I suspect given another chance, I might like them best of all.

What’s been amusing to me is watching the staff get less arrogant and more “helpful” as I’ve gotten older. Im gradually aging into their target demographic.