Oh dear
Well this really could be a whole can o' worms, so I'll try to tread lightly.
There are a handful of somewhat popular companies - usually on the smaller side - that have absolutely rabid fans who will jump down the throat of anyone who says anything less than glowing praise of those companies or their products. I think it's a bit weird, personally. I don't quite know how people get that emotionally invested in a company when they aren't even sharing in any of the revenue
But yeah, I've had a - I wouldn't say bad experience, and it was nothing like your missing tweeter - but let's say, "less than entirely pleasant" experience with Salk Sound before. Let's just say that there's a difference in the tone of communcations when you're buying vs. when you're returning and leave it at that as far as my public reply
This is a very tough topic to discuss publicly. A lot of fans will say that anyone who is less than thrilled is just spouting "sour grapes", or is trying to damage the company, or only represents one of an extremely few who is less than over the moon. Over a long enough period of time though, I'd say that the very best companies do tend to rise to the top, but only if they remain consistent in both their products and service.
So instead of going on the negative side, I will simply say that Ascend is a company that has risen to the top in my experience. The gang that is currently running SVSound has risen to the top. That doesn't mean there aren't products out there that are just as good - maybe even better. But just in terms of an overall buying experience, service experience, return or repair experience, and the quality of the products themselves, I've found those two companies to be particularly pleasant and enjoyable no matter what the situation. I'll probably get screamed at for it, but Salk and Epik are two companies that I think make very good products, but could improve when it comes to their service, and the tone of their communications when you're doing something other than buying from them
And just so people don't think I'm picking on them or that I'm not willing to change my opinion if and when they improve on those fronts, I used to feel the same way about SVS a number of years back when different people were in charge. Great products, very helpful when you're buying, but prone to delays, faulty units and a much less pleasant tone of communcations when you come to them with a problem. SVSound totally turned it around, so maybe Salk and Epik can too