Audiophile_new,
Your most recent post is not ignorant or annoying, but very accurate. Often times things don't change that much (and BTW your comparison of Camry's I agree totally with Accords).
Some manufacturers do change technology however. Either way, they have to stay competitive in the market, and rarely do you see one come out with a new product that is half the price. So, in your (appropriate) cynical view, if they change technology and Model '2' is $500 more than Model '1', how do you know you're really getting a better product? Truth is, you don't. If the models maintain the same technology (like our assessment of the cars), you know you're just paying for inflation, and low miles.
That said, the previous recommendation for the Rowland Concentra is a winner. There's one on A'gon now for 3k. I owned this amp 7 years ago and back then it sold for 3k used - most products' used price decrease rapidly with age, and some increase. The ones that hold their value or increase are clear indicators of their quality. It is a classic product. For speakers, while I have not heard the ones you mention, for 2k or so you can get a used pair of Tyler Linbrook monitors (which is what I used when I had the Concentra) directly from Tyler w/ warranty. This is a fantastic match, and I think you would be very well served budget-wise. I have heard so many other speakers since then, and for the money (and much more) you will be hard pressed to do better. To buy a retail-priced speaker at 2k you will probably get a much lesser product. Obviously this is a gross generalization, but from my experience it is what I have found. Further info about your room and listening preferences is also helpful.
