Definitely a health condition that should not be ignored, for those who value their auditory perception of the world.  There have been some advancements at combating the issue:     http://www.audionotch.com/app/tune/   For those who notice inner ear fluid buildup, occasional or constant...

Creative Inspire T12 are cost effective, even lower for the non-bluetooth/Apt-X model.   http://www.amazon.com/Creative-T12-Bluetooth-Wireless-Speaker/dp/B00408GUNY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1364194850&sr=1-1&keywords=t12+bluetooth   The speakers work really good when...

Would be nice to see a comparison between then and now.  Company already has a considerable history and now an updated product line.

Maggies and class-t amps work fairly good together.  Also helps keep the utility bill under control.

Cans are a quick way of finding which component doesn't fit from a big rig synergy point of view.  Unfortunately sound stage becomes an issue which is why I can't do much time with any set of headphones.  Some of us hear with more than our ear canal's.  My modified HD 280 Pro with Kimber GQ Mini...

Definitely a nice all-in-one setup, hope the design is solid enough to handle a few thousand hours of usage.  It would be a cute match with the Mini Maggie 2.1 that is now available.   magnepan.com/model_mini_maggie

Looking forward to Strada 2 spec's and reviews.  Might make a good match when connected to Elac Microsub 2010.2   elac.com/en/products/Subwoofer/MicroSUB_2010_2/

If your still thinking about the ML Vantage, might want to consider the new Ethos model.  Passive radiator design vs slot load bass port.  No bass port, especially on the back, helps with placement flexibility.

Magnepan's are a simple resistor-like load that most amps have no problem driving, loudness depends on how many watts under the hood.  Electrostat's (Quad, SoundLab, ML) are a complex capacitor-like load which has no problem burning up amplifiers due to the reflected energy from the speaker.  ...

Thinking "outside the box" would be a good start.  The ML hybrids do a good job of standing out from the crowd, box/cabinet designs are dime-a-dozen especially at big box stores.

Although a little late to the party (by over a decade), I am looking forward to ML's Ethos model.  Primarily due to the passive radiator design, perhaps retune the pr for lower 30's.

Have enjoyed class-t for several years and do not regret it.  Went the diy route with some 41hz.com monoblocks (amp11: mostly smt components) which were fed by two toslink dac's effectively eliminating interconnects and speaker cables.  The amp outputs were terminated with 4-inch medium gauge...

Try Goertz Tourmaline, should be able to find some on audiogon or craigslist (national search with searchtempest.com or similar service).  The company designs/tests/manufactures its cable from an electrical engineering perspective and not the usual "smoke & mirrors" profit mongering, which...

Cables are wire, whether they be interconnects, AC mains / power cables or digital coax/aes/ebu (toslink not metal, and that IS a good thing!).  And as such they are prone to affecting anything and everything in the entire audio chain.  Impedance mismatch between components doesn't help the...

Had a pair of Eclipse B-102's which demonstrated tight bass hit and clean upper spectrum.  The original radiator seemed rather crude but it may explain why people replace them with mass tunable basket designs.

Room size would be helpful as well as flexibility of speaker placement.  Maggies love elbow room but even their model refresh still has the membrane resonance coloration which my ears detect every time (Magnepan 1.7 & 3.7).  If you find some ESS Labs Eclipse B-102 on craigslist give them a try...

The active route also benefits minimalists, those who prefer efficiency of function and form-factor.  Elac has some ribbon monitors with digital input (including optical/toslink) and channel selection.  Take a look at the AM 180 (38-50k hz).   elac.com/en/products/Active/AM_180/index.php

Excellent find.  Overall good specifications (42-50khz) except low efficiency (86dB), based on the crystal edition parameters.  Just wish their engineer/design team were open to utilizing passive radiator solutions.  The 4Pi Plus 2 omni ribbon would be interesting, in regards to the Spirit of...