I just set them up and you can't even see that stuff, they are so big. The woofers look perfect, ie - no punch holes etc. Don't know if they are working like new.
They sound good maybe not as much punch on the bass as I expected from a 15" woofer. I have not A/B them but they don't Blow away my smaller KG4s. But the KGs have the crites tweeter update. I would say that passive on the KG4s has a little more punch.
They might sound a little more enveloping or a bigger sound. I was expecting them to BLOW away the KG4s but to me and my son they did not. But will have to get some wires to do a proper A/B and see.