Bd, I'm glad to hear you're happy with the Europas, I had exactly the opposite "first impression" with the Europas... I home demo'd a pair from a dealer and I placed them on top of my Totem Forests, no special s/u and from the first listen I knew they were something special. After I switched the speaker cables back and forth several times, it just confirmed my first impression.
Regarding Tlday's comments about his impressions, not really a big deal or suprise, some people just aren't ready for the 1st order time aligned sound, I think it can catch folks off guard if not prepared to appreciate it, kind of like what you experienced. On the other hand, everyone has their own likes/dislikes.