I have to agree that the satin poly finish and the veneer quality could be better, but I have to disagree that finish quality determines whether a speaker is a 'world beater' or not. The jrs compete effectively with some heavy hitters way above their price point. Whether they compete aesthetically or not is another matter.
A quality speaker designer won't necessarily have any aesthetic refinement or sensibility. Certainly the cost of furniture quality covering and the additional personnel required to develop/apply it would be a major consideration and would be reflected in the price of the product.
It also needs to be said that finish and build quality are two separate and very different things. The jrs are VERY well built. At least in this case, you are paying for performance, not furniture. While $4,000 is a lot of money, in this incredibly price inflated hobby, it's not often that you can expect to get a Porche at Toyota prices...
A quality speaker designer won't necessarily have any aesthetic refinement or sensibility. Certainly the cost of furniture quality covering and the additional personnel required to develop/apply it would be a major consideration and would be reflected in the price of the product.
It also needs to be said that finish and build quality are two separate and very different things. The jrs are VERY well built. At least in this case, you are paying for performance, not furniture. While $4,000 is a lot of money, in this incredibly price inflated hobby, it's not often that you can expect to get a Porche at Toyota prices...