Hi Bill- I can relate to your quest. A few monthe ago I flew out to Andy Payors at Rockport and spent 2 days listening to the Merak/Sheritan and Antares. At that time he didn't have a set of Hyperions quite finished, so I didn't get to hear them. First off, you'll not meet a nicer guy in audio, Andy is first class. The Merak/Sheritans were phenomenal, but the Antares, which are the model below the Hyperions, were out of this world. Totally seamless, best soundstage I've heard yet ( in spite of Andys less than perfect room), and dynamics of live music. The Esotar tweeters renders beautifully extended highs without any hint of harshness, and the mids/highs are amazingly detailed without being analytical. The 13" woofer goes low, and was very tight and musical. I had taken about 20 CD's with me for demo purposes, things I was very familiar with. The Antares did all the whizz bang stuff without a problem, but the thing that impressed me most was how musical everything sounded, as if the sound was just being laid out in space with an ease that belies reproduced music. Very live-like in presentation. I remember thinking this would be a speaker I could listen to forever and not ever get fatigued. But not warm and rolled off, not in the least, very dynamic, toe tapping so, with amazing detail, but just so EASY to listen to. The build quality is unsurpassed, I've learned shipbuilders make great speaker cabinets. The Antares weigh in at 400lbs per speaker and are completely inert which unequivically contributes to the lack of any coloration. The finish is beautiful. I took my 13 y/o son with me ( I didn't make him listen the whole time, he played with Andy's kids), and we went to NYC on the way home and caught a couple jazz shows. During the Jimmy Heath Quintet's set, my son turned to me and said he thought the band sounded like those speakers we just heard. Think about it. And thats pretty accurate, the Antares breathed life into the music. I can only imagine what the Hyperions sound like. ( Frankly I can't afford to imagine that). Unfortunately, right around the time I auditioned them I happened upon a marital reconfiguration (audio unrelated), and I had to hold off getting them. BUT, they are in my crosshairs now, and if things go as planned, they'll be in my listening room within the next few weeks. I listened to many speakers on this, as you called it, "quest", and the Rockports were my favorites. But importantly, I went into it with the intention of it being a last stop, something I could live with for a looong time, stop the quest and just listen for a few decades. I think I found it. I'd suggest you go out to Rockport and pay Andy a visit and spend a few days listening. With an investment this substantive, you should hear them for yourself. E-mail me if you'd like to talk more about it, I'd be happy to share my experience.
