...yeah, I think they are a pretty good speaker - not sure if they would be my first choice in the price range, but they should serve you well.

Firstly, is your room overly reflective while the showroom might have had more sound-absorbing qualities? IMO, the room/speaker combo will have the most profound effect on sound. Next, are you listening to the same CDs? After room/speaker synergy, recording quality can have a huge effect.

I have a pair of Studio 60s, and there were changes in sound quality after some running in. At first, I thought I made a huge mistake... they barely sounded better than the Titans they replaced. Now there is no comparison... they are fairly warm and, as a matter of fact, on the dark, distant side. BUT - they won't put a bad disc into a favorable light.

Speaking of "break-in"... last week, a friend of mine bought a pair of Titans for his sister's new house. Well, I was somewhat excited - lemme borrow them to see if they sound any different than my 6 year-old pair (albeit not really used in 5 yrs). I A/Bd them using my Denon, and yes, there was indeed a difference... the new pair seemed constipated by comparison. Let you new 20s loosen up for a while unless there is a refund time limit - in the end, you may NOT like 'em.

Ironically, the Titans were the only speakers that I DIDN'T notice a difference during "break-in".

I wouldn't worry about wires too much, and I wouldn't buy a different amp for speakers you don't really like (IF that ends up being the case)

Good luck...