Not sure you're keeping the new Silverlines (congratulations!), but there's a pair of Fried Betas for $100 that probably will languish here.
Sad what's happened to the high-end audio hobby. Too many people buy stuff based on their eyes, not ears. The last line of Frieds before the original venture went under in 1997 compete with all but the exotics of today, offering a trueness of tonality you rarely encounter. We hear about the so-called improvements of the past 5 - 10 years. Then, you listen to a pair of mid-late 90's Frieds, and sit there in disbelief that you get sublime sound at mass-fi pricing. You don't get book-matched veneers, boutique level crossover parts, or in-your face screechiness. They simply make music.
Sad what's happened to the high-end audio hobby. Too many people buy stuff based on their eyes, not ears. The last line of Frieds before the original venture went under in 1997 compete with all but the exotics of today, offering a trueness of tonality you rarely encounter. We hear about the so-called improvements of the past 5 - 10 years. Then, you listen to a pair of mid-late 90's Frieds, and sit there in disbelief that you get sublime sound at mass-fi pricing. You don't get book-matched veneers, boutique level crossover parts, or in-your face screechiness. They simply make music.