Well, lots of great feedback. Thanks.
I just returned from auditioning the
Dynaudio Contours and learned a couple things. They sounded as good or slightly better than my Thiels...sound stage a tiny bit wider and precise, sound balance maybe better. However, a big HOWEVER, the guy had them set up with his main system. Two custom made mono-block tube units & what appeared to be a passive preamp & a Linn cd player. I know enough to know it's the system you hear, not an individual component.
At my request, he was nice enough to rewire them to a 60wpc receiver so I could hear them with underwhelming components. Wow, everthing collapsed - they sounded flat and un-dynamic. We both agreed that I need to hear them in my system but I'm now convinced they are not what I'm looking for.
Then, being the nice guy he was, he re-hooked up his main system and I was totally blown away. The only change was the speakers he had, some sort of three ways from a small European company who I never heard of using Seas(?) drivers. Best sound I've heard in 20 years...since the SF Stereophile show at the Joseph Audio room. It delightfully reset my whole idea of what's possible. One thing I do know, I need to get to some of the local listening rooms (Boston area) and relearn what I thought I knew. Thanks for all the advice!
Off to see (hear) the wizard(s)!