The new dynamic in speaker pricing

Yes, he also has a pair of subs and he paid $12K to separate the YGs woofers from the main speaker (they are adjacent now) so that the tweeter is more at ear level (they are too high as originally constructed).  They throw a huge soundstage and excellent focus which is much better than my speakers; but, alas, his room is 20x20X10 and has windows behind his speakers, mostly untreated room with no acoustic treatment or tweaks.  I'm surprised that it sounds so good but he does have another $200K in equipment/cabling.  His system more often homogenizes the sound whereas my system allows me to hear greater differences in each recording while being very involving.  

@j-wall  I've heard several Von Schweikert speakers from the VR-35 to the Ultra 11.  The Ultra 9 and 11 sounded better than any audio system I've ever heard (and I've probably heard about 1000 at shows mostly and maybe 50 in homes).  Sure, they also were accompanied by nearly $1 million in equipment/cabling in huge rooms.   However, buying slightly used speakers is bargain shopping for great sound.  I don't think I could afford even the best speaker for my room, the Ultra 7 at $180,000 or even the Ultra 55 at $100,000.  But I intend to purchase the VR9SE II from 2015 for under $50,000.  

My friend has YG Acoustic Sonja 2.3s, $115,000 speakers.   They sound better than my Legacy Focus which sell for around $2500-$3000.   However, the difference between his and my speaker isn't worth the difference to me.   I lack his 3D open sound and great ambience retrieval.  Otherwise, I'm quite satisfied with my musical (as opposed to ultra-resolving) sound.   

There is another reason (besides my matched excellent equipment/cabling) that my inexpensive speakers sound great.   I spent $150,000 constructing a custom built listening room which I have previously described on forums.   I don't have peaks or valleys and have built-in the wall bass traps.   

Unless I have a doubling in income, I just am too conservative to spend MAP on a new pair of speakers.   I would rather purchase "last year's" model for 25% to 35% of MAP.  And I love music, as a amateur recording engineer, performer and listener (over 2 hours daily).    

@daveyf  I heard the Alexx V’s at a friend of a friend’s house who is also a part time audio reviewer. He drove them with huge SS McIntosh amps, I don’t know what other electronics, a Kuzma turntable, several high end arms and the latest DS $12K optical cartridge and transformer. Even had the famous Mpingo record weight. This system had phenomenal dynamics, bass and resolution. However, after a few records, it just was too forward, too much information. Really like the ultimate studio sound, just not relaxing (or eventually musically interesting).

@daveyf  The room was about 40+ feet deep but less than 18 feet wide.   Yes, they had amazing dynamic impact/scale and a huge soundstage, just too much of something which made them less than relaxing to listen to.   Maybe it was the amps but I've only enjoyed listening to the smaller Wilsons rather than large ones over time.  The worst Wilson was the original WAMM, terrible, like five boxes shouting at me separately at a high end showroom (Christopher Hansen-Beverly Hills) using all tube Audio Research gear.  They've certainly gotten better since then.