Looks like the OP is going RTi, but I figure to throw in comments about the BA anyways. I just got back from CC. Took 3 times to ask for someone to help, by which time I was already tinkering with the stuff myself, pulling speakers several feet out from the corner, checking connections, changing receiver, changing out my discs for mine, etc. First guy I asked I've met at the local basketball courts and we are on friendly terms, so Im sure he asked somebody. Maybe too many customers. I listened to selections from 4 cd's. I will say there was a TON of ambient noise around me, and a couple of times even competing with a nearby HTIB cranked to overly muddified distortion. I had no listening chair so I kneeled on the floor for a while. So, seeing what I was dealing with, take all the following with plenty of salt.
Ya, I wonder who is calling these speakers overly bright? Maybe a Bose owner, or some other fellow who is paid to advertise ID gear. PSBs seem to be more unforgiving and forward in the upper registers, and those I found to be of good value. The speakers imaged much better than I anticipated they would. The extension was good, but for my tastes I'd still want a sub eventually to mate with them. Or.... maybe with a good amp the sub would not be needed, hard to say for me....
While not as unforgiving as other speakers, there still was a decent amount of hiss going on. Just overlying ambient hiss. I will give a good deal of fault to the Onkyo receiver and Sony carousel. I will say also say there were probably higher stresses from volumes asked of the receiver so that I could compete with so much ambient noise. The actual trebles were not "ear-piercing" or "ear-bleeding" or what have you. While stereo imaging was good, better than expected, I did not get any magical front/back depth type of imaging. I am guessing the room was about 13x18, towers on the long wall, 14 subs and 20 receivers on the opposite wall, innumerable bookshelves etc on other walls, you get the picture. I am most curiuos to hear this in a better room with a good cd player and good integrated.
Also, I "swear" (*scratching head*) that there was something funny going on in the upper x-over. The continuity of upper-midrange lines were not, um, not "convincing" with some slight variations in timbre and forwardness. That being said, there were a couple of "blooming" frequency spots which I guess I must attribute to room. Im going to check out the BA specs right now just out of curiuosity if its a 1st, 2nd, 3rd order etc. I have to say that almost all of music listening in my life has been done on 2-ways. I've heard some 3-ways that I truly enjoyed, but perhaps at this price point some design compromise is coming into play. Other possibilties... perhaps not the best combination of drivers selected, or jostenmeat just needs to get his hearing checked.
I wish I could A/B these with some bookshelves I listened to last week....
