Thanks for your feedback everyone.

I note that I get the pop both when the window A/C unit is turned on and many times when it's turned off. I wonder what a UPS has in its internals that a good power conditioner doesn't? I also value a good power conditioner. My Panamax in my home theater deserves substantial credit. About one year ago I was having a new septic system put in and my excavator clipped my underground power lines causing a massive surge throughout my whole house. It killed several outlets, killed the compressor on my fridge, and killed an APC surge protector (which saved my JL sub) and no-name surge protector that saved my home PC. The Panamax though, lives on, along with all the equipment that was protected by it But the experience definitely made the point with me.

Gunslinger, I couldn't be happier with the 685's. I'm sure I'll get the bug to upgrade to the 7's or 8's at some point. Having heard the 805's a couple times, I know what I'm missing, but the price difference is substantial to say the least. I'd like to pick up a power conditioner, some better speaker stands, improved interconnects, and maybe a nicer rack for my equipment. But the setup sounds great. I have managed to get the 685's at a pretty good position.

They're a little tall right now - about 31" - a limitation of the only stands I own. And those stands are a little on the cheap side - (telescoping, probably in the sub $100 range, a little flimsy). They also don't hide the speaker wire and that gets at my a-retentive side of my brain. But in terms of position, I was able to get the speakers positioned in such a way that I have formed almost a perfect equilateral triangle to my listening position, about 8.5 feet all sides. All in all, quite happy!