Battle of the affordables

Nice Speakers listed here...I'm cheap I'll go with Polk...they aways have clearance sales...lol

None.  My lord, SO many good speakers, ProAc, Living Voice, Spendor, Joseph, Acora, etc.

Kef: would love to try them in my room, but have been warned they cannot produce the SPL in my GIGANTIC (volume 50 x50 x20 or so) room even so I am only concerned with 80 Hz and above (have great sub to handle the rest). 

I LOVED my B&W Nautilus 804, and for $2k used, GREAT buy. Hate 'sharp' highs, no issue with mine. 

Replaced with smaller 2 way, which is at mechanical limits in my very large (volume) room, even with sub crossed at 120 Hz. 

Current favorite (not fully evaluated) in the 'affordable' (under 2k) segment: Focal Chora 826. 

Sorry to suggest something not on your list but you have asked about some quite different speakers. I would look at and listen to Verity Audio Parsifal Encore. They are in the higher end the price points on your list but I think you can get a mid to late 2000s pair for 5 to 5.5 K. Solid built, room friendly, flight cases and pretty good WAF.