Yeah...B&M retailers are hardly the ideal location to audition any speaker, let alone an electrostatic design which require proper set up because of placement limitations due to their design that can effect the overall soundstage.
I doubt the receiver in this case was the issue and since I've never heard the ML(just not my style) but I have heard the others was why I remembered his comments and copied that specific post. My intent here was to help the OP draw some paralled, and my remarks weren't knocking any products or worst still....trying to speak for Peng, who I often seek for his advice...
.
Regards & happy holidays, Bill....