You should seriously consider a used pair of Tyler Acoustics Taylor Reference Monitors with matching stands. I had a pair that replaced B&W CDM1NT speakers on Target welded steel stands. They absolutely killed the B&W's in every way and actually made them sound quite cheap. They will work quite well in small to medium sized rooms. They also fit your listening preferences.
Buying Bookshelves, I love B&W but....
my experience is that the mids are a bit compressed, less open and detailed. I really like the imaging, highs, lows, fullness, stage pres etc. As well as design and build. Is this a common problem in bookshelves, obvious size limitations? Seems to be an issue with the old S3 series, new 600 and CM1. Should I demo floor standing models or consider 700 or 800 series bookshelves? Or is this simply one of the characteristics of B&W?
Demo'd with Rotel, NAD, MacIntsosh integrateds.
Demo'd with Rotel, NAD, MacIntsosh integrateds.