A pair of well-kept JBL K2 S9800SE's at or slightly above $10,000 would be if not a steal then a "competitively priced" and very capable alternative to most anything out there - depending of course on ones personal taste.
To my mind the S9800SE's are speakers that haven't received the praise and attention they deserve. Perhaps many an audiophile would hold in scorn whatever resembles the sight of a horn fitted to a compression driver and/or a 15" driver (not least acting as a midrange), and while this driver combination arguably sets itself apart sonically to the more common driver configuration used in "hifi" speakers in general, I'd wager this direction holds more pro's than con's - for several reasons.
I find below linked review (of the non-SE edition) illuminating on the overall sonic nature of the S9800's:
http://www.ultraaudio.com/equipment/jbl_k2_s9800.htm
To my mind the S9800SE's are speakers that haven't received the praise and attention they deserve. Perhaps many an audiophile would hold in scorn whatever resembles the sight of a horn fitted to a compression driver and/or a 15" driver (not least acting as a midrange), and while this driver combination arguably sets itself apart sonically to the more common driver configuration used in "hifi" speakers in general, I'd wager this direction holds more pro's than con's - for several reasons.
I find below linked review (of the non-SE edition) illuminating on the overall sonic nature of the S9800's:
http://www.ultraaudio.com/equipment/jbl_k2_s9800.htm