Which is Best loudspeaker in the $1000-1200 range?

I forgot to add that my system is a Consonance CD120 ($1100) and an Arcam A80 ($1200). My DVD player is so cheap that it is not worth mentioning.

Ok, I see your point. I prefer warm sound.
To me, an excellent, superb midrange is the most important thing. I don't need and I don't like tons of bass. My room size is medium; the speakers will be 3 meters apart and 0.5 meters away from the walls.

Beheme's conclusions do make sense. But there's also the point that sometimes the taxes that firms pay to export are smaller than the taxes they pay to sell in the internal market, and this may actually make exports cheaper, even when you include shipping costs. Maybe that's why the cost of a pair of B&W's in the US is the same as the cost in the UK!

The analysis about marketing expenses are impecable, though. Some firms do spend too much trying to prove how good they are.