Feedback on the current Reference 3a changes ?

To me (IMHO), the new (slate grey) finish on ALL of the current Ref. 3a speakers looks like the crust on the hooves of old knu's. I'm not sure if the texture is the same... I have only been involved with young ones. Couple the knu finish with the "baboon butt plug" sticking out of the woofer and the race will be on for them to suffer the same fate as their Rhino-coat(ed) brethren (with the ribbons in the middle). Show the wife a picture of the 7th Fleet moving into the living room and there will be no "grey area" as to her response. And of course, for additional torture, lets shove brrrr-illium tweeters in there just to keep up with the current status and bling. I'm sure that they work well for some, but I have always walked away from them (The BE. tweets) VERY happy to walk away from them.
It seems as though Ref 3a has snatched the grasshoppers from our hands and we (I) didn't want them to. They looked great the way they were, they sounded superb, and the price was fairly fair. Are the future owners doomed to the knu look of industrial austerity ? Are the current owners of the gorgeous "gloss red maple" forever to sleep with a smirk ? Should we care ? Please tell me while my grey pants are still dry.

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