How much to spend to beat $1200 10yr old speakers?

If you go Quad...go with the 12Ls...they have a much fuller presentation...and just to let u know...I would hesitate to call them bright... they are very revealing in nature...and sound nothing like rolled of SPendors or other "old-school" brit monitors...their 3-d imaging and bass is impressive...and in the QUad tradition...they are very transparent....

ALthough the Swifts have garnished much praise...I have not been impressed with their sound...to me they sound thin,hollow, and very lean....I much prefer the original KEstrals...

For those on the west coast...I believe Gene Rubin carries the new Quad line...also...the Maggie qr12s...the ones just below the 1.6s...are a great speaker...and roughly 1200 usd...if you have the room...a must audition....

All things being equal...a ten yr old $1200 speaker should at least equal a newer $600 one...but I wouldnt get too caught up in price ...there are simply not that many good speakers in either price range...and both the $600 Paradigm Studio 20 and the Quad 11L outperform a number of more pricey monitors(both old and new)....a higher pricetag can be just that...I value performance over price

If u like meadowlark kestrals.....try the Vandersteen 1c...virtually identical phase correct sound...for around $800....