I don't mind paying for good quality, but I don't like paying to pad someone else's bank account.
I can't speak for the Innersound speakers because I don't know much about the way that company operated. But I think the prices of Roger's new line of speakers reflect that they are not mass-produced in some factory, but are each handmade by Roger Sanders. He designed them and he alone hand-builds them. And if you aren't 100% satisfied with them once you get them, he will refund 100% of your money including round-trip shipping! To me, that kind of artistic craftsmanship combined with that kind of outstanding customer service is worth paying a few bucks extra.
Just as an example, when I called ML the other day to ask about an order, I got some young person answering the phone who couldn't give me much information about what was going on with my order or exactly when I could expect it to arrive. When I called Sanders Sound Systems the other day, Roger Sanders himself answered the phone. Again, that kind of customer service is worth a few bucks extra, in my opinion.
I don't know how good his new speakers are since I have never heard them. But the specs look pretty good. Compare Sanders 10A (24 Hz. to 27 KHz +- 2db; 98 db efficient) to the the ML Summit (24 Hz. to 23 KHz. +-3db; 92 db efficient). Also, his speakers come with a 600 watt external amplifier and
adjustable external crossover for the 10 inch transmission line woofer. This provides ultimate flexibility in integrating the bass response of the woofers with the panels in a particular room. Certainly much more flexibility than ML gives us on their top-of-the-line Summit! And the price is only 2K more than the Summit, which I don't think is really out of line for a product that is handmade by the designer vs. one that is mass-produced in a factory.
Again, I am not saying they are better, because I haven't heard them. I am just saying that if they are at the quality level I would expect given my experience with Roger's electronics, then I don't believe they are over-priced. They will not be for everyone, but I believe they will provide great value for the money for those who do decide to purchase them.
As for the flat panel vs. curved panel debate, I think that is going to be a personal preference kind of thing. Obviously flat panels work well because most every ELS on the market is a flat panel. But even with ML's curved panels, I have to say my sweet spot is extremely narrow. So I am not sure what positives the curved panel actually provides. Anyone have an opinion on that?
