Had the 12" Cubes.Sounded great INITIALLY but only so so as time went on.Remember I saw them have really flat graph in Consumer Reports (like the Bible in my families house) but that was first lesson that specs don't tell everything.Have to say they may have be the only true "bookshelf" speaker since they had top mounted woofer that sounded better under a shelf/.But you hit it on head.I listen t ADS L series, Advents,Klipsch etc but like you said they can't compete modern products thathave gone from paper,to polypropylene Kevlar etc.
Chazz
Chazz