Considering the Rule of Diminishing Returns.......

I'm going to assume that you've listened to a lot of speakers and have decided on the Aerials because you really like the sound, and your only indecision is the $$$. I don't own Aerials, but I'm going to encourage you to buy what you love, and if that's the Aerials, go for them. Keep them for 10+ years and you'll never regret it. Aerial makes a great product, and while it's a lot of money, over more than a decade, it's not a lot of money. And, with speakers that nice, my guess is that you'll start listening to a lot more music. You're visiting Audiogon, so presumably buying used is a possibility - I'd certainly suggest it. You'll save a lot, and if you decide you screwed up, you can get most of your money back. Some other really good options, IMO - a pair of Dynaudio Contour 1.8's with the matching center can easily be had for <$3K used, maybe even $2500 if you shop hard. Dynamite sound (I am a Dynaudio owner/lover). And, if you're really convinced that HT will remain 80% of the use, I highly recommend NHT - they make a really good dual-purpose speaker, they're high value, you can easily find them used or heavily discounted new. -Kirk