Bowers & Wilkins 684 S2Price: $1150 per pair

Website: www.bowers-wilkins.com

Doug said: All told, B&W offers high value with the 684 S2 -- the reason shoppers have long gravitated toward the company’s various 600 series. But I recommend that prospective buyers first listen to this new model with familiar music, to determine if it’s the right speaker for them.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Pretty good, just not great like you would hope.