Just got ruined by a pair of Treo CTs

tomic60.... I agree with you about the Vandersteen 1's. Have had the 1Ci's for a couple of years now with a Belles Aria integrated amp and every time I listen I hate to turn the damn thing off! I have to call BS on all the idiots out there that insist that great audio is not affordable... a luxury exclusively for those with deep pockets. The 1's may not be for everybody, but I dig them and they might just ruin a lot of people compared to anything anywhere near the price. Don't even get me started on the Aria...

Hifiman5 - "Gestalt" aptly describes the nature of the Vandersteen 1; the sound emanating from the speakers belies the no frills exterior, as well as the affordable price. John Rutan demoed the Belles Aria with the Treo's (non CT version if I recollect correctly) and that convinced me to buy the Aria. Couldn't spring for the Treo's, but the 1's sound pretty incredible in their own right. Amid all the audio rhetoric and hearsay, John Rutan keeps it simple and brings clarity and expert guidance to those who have the good sense to visit his shop.

tomic601
It's possible to get close to 90% of the the best out there for 90% less money, more or less, but anywhere close to that figure is amazing when you consider the stratospheric prices a lot of this audio gear costs.  My goal was to discover an amp and speakers whose quality and performance was out of all proportion to its cost. I think what I have meets that criteria. Other brands offer great bang for the buck I'm sure, but the Belles/Vandersteen combination made me forget the equipment and get lost in the music, so there you go.

No doubt that if you remove - from view - the gloss and the glitter and the massive build quality by hiding behind a screen, many people would be pleasantly surprised by the sound quality. More money doesn't mean better sound, but some people just have to have that designer label to stare at to validate the worth of their system.... and themselves.