There is great irony in the fact that people will call $500 "pricey" for those (although they usually sell in the $400-600 range, so it seems like fair market value to me), when SONICALLY speaking, they compete head-on with speakers that cost THOUSANDS, and are one of the great bargains in all of audio. I can't think of a generally more under-valued speaker, in terms of the sound quality that it is capable of producing.
Yes, Dahlquists and TimeFrames and some others are also generally good bargains...but they do not compete with the RS IIs, either in bang-for-buck nor in absolute sound quality.
I think the RS IIs remain so cheap because of factors OTHER than how they sound, including:
1. They are big and awkward to pack for shipping or to move around. People don't want to deal with the hassle and expense of moving/shipping them, which keeps sales local and prices down.
2. Low WAF. Women (alas, including my wife) tend to find them too big and "ugly". Men don't usually have that problem.
3. They need SPACE. You need a big enough room so that they can be pulled several feet into the room, and away from the side walls, in order for them to "do their stuff" properly. Try to put them in a too-small room, and you won't know what they are capable of.
4. They need POWER. That is, you have to have a high-current-capable amp that can safely drive into a 1-ohm load for relatively sustained periods, to safely power these above low-volume listening levels. Otherwise, you'll hear clipping and distortion on the way to a damaged speaker and/or amplifier. This really limits the amps you can choose from, and most of the ones that will qualify, are expensive. Expect to pay a couple thousand dollars just to be able to use these $500 speakers, unless you're lucky.
If any of these factors is a deal-breaker in your situation, then do NOT get these speakers. If not, however, RUN to grab the first pair you can find in good enough shape. You won't regret getting these speakers.
I've had a couple dozen other speakers over the past seven years since I got my RS IIs, and have auditioned many, many more at various shops and exhibitions and friends' places, and NONE have replaced my RS IIs as my all-time favorite speakers. (Admittedly, the Sequerra Signatures give them serious competition, as did a few megabuck systems in showrooms that you'd add two zeros on the price tag for...:yes:
)
BUT make sure you're okay with the four points mentioned above. These are not the best speaker choice for everyone, in every situation.
