Mojo, I don't think the 60's have changed. I think the reason the 22's may seem to be brighter is because they don't have the same bass extention, so your not hearing the whole package a full range speaker offers.
If you want the 80's go for it, I just don't want these other guys to scare you away from the 60's, there is no basis, just opinion, as is my opinion.
Having just done direct comparisons between these 3 speakers, there is infact an audible difference between the them.
The M22s are the most forward for the reason you mentioned, they lack that warmth/fullness of the 6 1/2 drivers.
The M60s are slightly muted compared to the M22 or the M80 because they lack the extra mid9and tweeter in the M80) to compensate for the presence of the 6 1/2 driver. Now this only a very slightly muted sound, something along the lines of a few layers of grille cloth in front. Had I not been listening to M22s for a few years prior to my purchase of the M60s I most likely would have not known the M60 wasn't as forward as the M22.
The M80 has it all, the forwardness of the M22 and fullness of the M60.
