My approach with what I know now is to first consider the audio space… am I moving? Is there another option? Then when looking for speakers I am looking for the right sound quality and the right size for my space. So, I love Sonus Faber speakers… they have exactly the right sound quality (when driven by the right electronics). So I chose the “correct sized” ones for my space.
When going for a major upgrade, I choose the speakers first, then optimize the electronics and acoustic treatments… then the little stuff.
I am fortunate to have a really great audio space… so I was able to pick among the levels of SF to choose the right size.