I predicted that the 2.2i would impress you. Back in 2004 (or 05) I auditioned the Arcam AVR300 driving a pair of 2.2 (not 2.2i) as well as some big PSB. I ended up buying the 2.3i thinking that my next step would be to trade in my Denon 3805 for the Arcam. I was wrong, it was the 2.2 that produced the sweet sound so I gave up on those so call high end warm sounding electronics myths. Back to the 6.3, I listened to them in Futureshops a few times and I thought they sounded similar to the RC70 and much better than any Klipsch they had on the floor. Futureshop is not the right place for any sort of listening tests but I would think that if they sounded as bad as you described them I should have noticed. The fact that they are made in China is actually good news, in the sense that it can explain why the dealers can offer such deep discounts for them. Many made in China products today, such as Apple's, Marantz, PSB are actually quite solid, most likely due to tight quality control systems implemented and monitored by the owners here in North America. Even some higher end speakers such as the Paradigm Signatures had some of their components made in China and assembled in Canada. Give it another 10-15 years, if and when the labor costs catch up with us here (Think Japan), you will see that people will move manufacturing to other developing countries, or back home. Anyway, good luck to your search for the 2.3/2.4i, but you can always go for plan B by simply adding a quality sub and be done with it.