It's definitely pricey vs whatever the competition is.

e.g. It's >10x the LG7 Meridian Boom. I bought 2 of those and they were terrific for my kids at Uni or for us on holiday.

However, I don't share the negativity with the ref to Harman etc. If someone buys a $3000 table top speaker it really isn't going to upset the XE owners unless there is a whiff of snobbery. Meridian has to be profitable and it's incumbent on the board to drive strategies to achieve that. In recent years it suggests they are beginning to succeed.

Rgds,
Nick