Audition a pair of GoldenEar Aon3 or Aon2 stand-mounted speakers before you buy. GoldenEar is well-distributed and it shouldn't be hard for you to find a showroom nearby. You may want to see if you can bring your own amplification. The GoldenEars are very revealing of the quality of electronics upstream, and the showroom may have them paired with a mass-market receiver which won't do the speakers justice at all.
These things are smooth, transparent, musical, and definitely don't need a sub, especially in a 10x12 room.
These things are smooth, transparent, musical, and definitely don't need a sub, especially in a 10x12 room.