I'm going to admit up front that I didn't read all the posts. I read the OP and then marked it unread till I had time to form a response.
I will go with "it is a planar sound thing." I sold Magnepan/Magneplanars in the 70s. I own Servo Statik-I Electrostatics, broken of course, but still have them. So they impressed you and should have for the reasons you stated. You like the strengths of Planar speakers.
There is something to the planar sound. They have great dynamics, detail and wide deep imaging/soundstage. Most dynamic speakers don't do that, or do it easily. It is an "effortless" sound from planars. Then there is the power requirements. Electrostatics need a big voltage swing, little current. The Magnetic Planar speakers need a lot of current. Well, you don't get anything for free.
It takes a lot of design, engineering and trial and error to make a box speaker not "boxy." I have owned a few. Heard a few more. But most box speakers sound boxy to me. And once you hear it you are no longer a virgin. You can't go back.
Have you heard the Blumenstein speakers? The box is minimal, the imaging and soundstage are right up there with a planar speaker. If not, where are you? (You have probably posted your location but I'm old and I forget what I had for breakfast yesterday) They have the immediacy, intimacy, dynamics, imaging/soundstage that you have heard in planars. Not to mention, I have mine aimed straight ahead. When I have guests I often sit a foot or two to the outside of one speaker or another. I hear amazing soundstage in a position that any other box speaker I have owned would collapse to mono. If I were you I would go with 30 day return offered by Clark and Molly. Go for the big subs/amps and Orcas.
As for the Madisound kit, we are back at you are no longer a virgin. You have tasted the Planar sound and I doubt that it will deliver it. I may be wrong, and have been too often in my life.
Ok, I jumped all around but I think I covered the first post. Now I will go back and read all the other comments.
