I recently heard the Avalon Transcendants at my Dealer's showroom. Firstly the timber & cabinet finish looks beautiful. As Rich commented, the Ascendant/Transcendant aren't the most extended speakers at the extremes, but the sound is wonderfullly natural and coherent and these speakers throw a wide and even sound stage and create a believable image. The Avalons disappear in the room very well. That experience certainly wet my apetite to hear the higher end models. My Dealer is getting in the Times at some point which i'm quite keen to hear. They should sound brilliant with the twin 11" nomex bass drivers, ceramic mid & diamond tweeter. They remind me of a higher end version of the Infnity RS-2B.