Well, the results of the second audition were different and much better - I went in with a mission, and basically asked that they be positioned a foot closer together based on my calculations, and also this time they were aligned on the same plane with a laser device (yesterday, I had noticed they were not really on the same plane, but didn't say much).
The result of this kind of positioning made for all the difference I was hoping for. The speaker is clearly more resolving, more articulate and with a tad better timbre than my electrostatics because of the lack of mechanical noise, just as coherent even at 9ft, they are clearly tighter and more articulate in the bass (and in fact, rendering bass to die for), swung dynamically higher when needed, and had the soundstage width and height I am accustomed to - forget about what I wrote yesterday regarding solo timpani, pipe organ, choral et al. Basically, the sound this time was what I originally expected: an electrostatic with very low mechanical noise, which is very well-controlled and -behaved in the vast majority of the spectrum.
I did also feel at times they needed more power than the 260 can offer, but this is not a problem with my monos. I need to listen again back home tonight, so there will be a third round tomorrow, and possibly a fourth in-home...
@Frantz: if you travel up here, feel free to ping me. Goodwin's carries the entire Magico line.