When you compare speakers by dividing them into different price ranges, you must keep in mind that the two different methods for selling speakers, Distributors & Dealers (D&D) vs. Internet Direct (ID), result in quite different list prices and profit margins.
With D&D, there are price mark ups going from manufacturer-to-distributor, and again from distributor-to-dealer. Those mark ups can vary widely. I've learned over the years to expect at least a 50% mark up just at the dealer level. That means a dealer sells speakers for roughly double his cost from the distributor. A dealer has to lease or own a store and pay employees, all while making enough to stay in business. Of course, all these transfers include shipping costs – something that never goes down. If I can generalize, the D&D method tends to favor large manufacturers with large distribution networks, and large big box stores. There can be price advantages due to large scale manufacturing.
With ID, there is one transaction, from the manufacturer to the individual buyer. The D&D mark-ups are eliminated. The buyer has to pay shipping costs for the finished product only once. The result is that the individual buyer pays less as overall profit, and gets more speaker for his money. There can be disadvantages to this method, such as difficulty in hearing speakers before buying, longer delays from ordering to delivery, and the lack of price advantages from large scale manufacturing. But the overall lower prices you get with ID cannot be ignored. To generalize again, the ID method tends to favor smaller manufacturers over large ones. With D&D you never deal with a speaker manufacturer or designer. With many, if not all, ID companies, you can easily speak directly to the owner or designer.
If you compare speakers by price levels, without distinguishing between D&D or ID sales methods, you're comparing Apples to Oranges.
