One reason the VA speakers do not have a higher profile in the US is because they are European. Enough very high quality high end hifi products are made in North America that it is a bit difficult for any overseas company to dominate our market no matter how good they are.
Getting back on the subject, I have the VA Mahlers, and I really like them. The Mahlers may not be the 'ultimate' speaker for two channel; however, they are well rounded enough doing nearly everything very well. This was important to me since I integrated my 2 channel setup into my HT setup.
I have not heard the Beethovens, but I would venture to guess that they can compete well with any speaker in their price range. You may find speaker you like a little better at that price point, but I would doubt that you would find one that would totally blow away the Beethoven.
I would suggest trying to find a dealer you can demo the speakers at.
KF
Getting back on the subject, I have the VA Mahlers, and I really like them. The Mahlers may not be the 'ultimate' speaker for two channel; however, they are well rounded enough doing nearly everything very well. This was important to me since I integrated my 2 channel setup into my HT setup.
I have not heard the Beethovens, but I would venture to guess that they can compete well with any speaker in their price range. You may find speaker you like a little better at that price point, but I would doubt that you would find one that would totally blow away the Beethoven.
I would suggest trying to find a dealer you can demo the speakers at.
KF