Attractive Bookshelf - Under $3k

@reubent -- I do not use a Sub with the Gen 4's.  Bass is quite remarkable.  They are in one of my listening rooms approximately 15' x 15'., , This review describes it much better than I could!

The Gen Four is nominally a bass-reflex design with a box tuning of 41Hz. However, the bass tuning referred to as dual-tuned, is patent-pending and unconventional. There are two internal chambers which are said to be damped differently with a proprietary method, proprietary connection, and special absorption material. The end result is a well damped bass range and in-room extension to nearly 41Hz, a remarkable accomplishment for a 6.5″ driver in a compact enclosure. I can’t recall another stand-mounted compact speaker in my experience that captured as much tonal authority as the Gen Four.

The bass range didn’t sound like that of a typical bass-reflex design. One of the first things you’re bound to notice about the Gen Four is that bass lines are uncommonly tight, and you’d be hard pressed to believe that it is actually a bass-reflex design. Bloated, tubby, plummy, and muddy are some of the pejorative adjectives that have been hurled at bass-reflex designs over the years. Well, none of them apply here. The bass range was precise and facilitated excellent pitch definition. Electric bass lines often lost in the mix were easily resolvable without any issues. Midbass dynamic punch was plenty adequate in my moderately sized listening room (13.5′  x 19′) though be forewarned that there are limits to what a 6.5″ woofer can dish out, and I would be concerned about pushing the woofer hard in a much larger room.

Here are some Salks -- beauties! SS-6Ms. 

Thank you everyone for the informative responses, and apologies for not responding sooner.  From the feedback provided, I started to put together a flexible shortlist, and some of my reasoning.

Vandersteen    VLR CT - I also heard these with my Belles from Johnny, and though they were awesome, so must be considered.

Salk - A name I've never heard until a few days ago, along with the number of people who suggested, I love number of different finishes, and find it very interesting to see a variety of models at the same price point.   I also like the idea that they're handmade, and don't mind waiting a while for it.  After all, that's part of what I found appealing with the Belles, hand made in the USA.

Sonos Faber Sonetto II - I've always thought they just look great.

*****Update******

After showing my wife the Salk Songtower and explaining that it is only 8" wide (44.5 H x 8 W x 12 D), a thin tower is now an option.  And then it got better.  She asked me, "If you spend $5k, will they really be much better?", and then upped the budget to $5k.  There's 1 minor catch.  As the reason for a bookshelf because the speaker needed to be above any objects directly blocking it (like a chair), I'll need to have the bottom of the lowest driver at least 30" off the ground.

So I'm not sure if I need to start a new thread on a new topic due to the increased budget and now open to a few thin floor standers with highly positioned drivers.

I showed her the Dali Rubicon 5 in walnut and she loved it.  I'm slightly partial to these as well because I've been very happy with my Ikon IIs.  The salesmen at the time described them as a lot of bang for buck, and I agree, so I'd expect similar with the higher end models.

So is it a no brainer to get a tower, or is there the opinion that high end bookshelf can easily compete with a quality tower in terms of the low end frequency range?

the Sonners look great too (never heard of them, but. Good reviews)

I am not sure the SF is the best bang for the buck 

I would stay away from the Dali, not the same quality as the rest of your list

It's interesting you mention the build quality of the Dali.  I'm right now contemplating ordering replacement grills for my Ikon IIs as they got damaged, and when I tried to repair, seemed a bit flimsy.  There's also a small section where the veneer seems to be not just right.

I also noticed that even the Epicon (top of the line) mas made out of MDF.  At the risk of asking an overly subjective question, is wood always better than MDF?