I've had all the mentioned with the exception of the whale. The FIM Gold was the best sounding in my system. It is indeed, stiff and unwieldy, but if you've got the space and patience, well worth it. I have recently however gone to TG Audio PC's, which in my system bested anything I've yet tried. Loooong breakin, but worth it. And they're all of about $300, for those of you looking for the best bang for the buck. I outfitted my whole system for the price of 1 Cobra or FIM Gold. Price excluded, they sound better than anything I've yet had in my system.
