finding the right speaker?

Tons of choices. Totally dependent on your amp and room. It's all about synergy.

ATC, self powered may the place to start.

Thiel's.

I had 2ce's for many years, and I moved on to Odyssey Kismet reference speakers at 3200.00 a pair. Best investment I ever made. You get the bass of the vandersteens, but a little more detailed treble that is non-fatigueing.

Have you considered the newer version of the Vandersteen 2? From all I've read the new model meets your criteria.
I suggest this as one who appreciates the sound of time and phase coherence speakers.

Joe can you give us a better idea of your listening preferences, room size, associated equipment (especially your amp)? That will help us give better advice

You ask a surprisingly difficult question here Joeaaudio.
First, over the decades you've, no doubt I've, although checked a couple years back, I was still 18 year old perfect, (blush, seriously) hearing--lost a bit on the top, necessitating a speaker with highs in greater abundance than Vandersteens.
Herein lies the THIEL vs. Vandersteen battles of the '80's.
All the fans of both camps would scream, 'But Vandersteens'...and THIEL fans would scream, 'But THIEL's'...
You're probably ready to at least try the THIEL, which is much more forward sounding in the last 3 octaves, (2.5K to 20K)
As a designer,it's tough to sometimes quantify the differences that exist when speakers measure flatly in that region, yet sound so different than one another.
Well, what's at work here is dynamic contrasting and transfer, a different but not widely accepted or even quantified to my knowledge, measurement.
The static, 1W1M sweeps only show, here's that word again, 'static' measurements, from 20 to 20K...and don't represent what they sound like.
Sort of like trying to pick a car from a 0-60mph speed time, as opposed to driving.
The Vandersteen has always measured flat TOO, but didn't sound the same for the reasons I just pointed out. You, with a 'AHEM' couple of more years on your golden ears, may have lost a bit on the top, and need that extra...
Please don't be offended by the suggestion...almost everyone loses this HF hearing to varying degrees.

Good luck and listening,

Larry

Thank you my power source is A threshold s500 mark levison pre cambridge 650bd

Greetings
If you take a look at the Pics of the 1986 sc that joe is selling you will see it is up against the wall in the corner and next to another corner wall unit
any accurate speaker will be up about 12 plus DB in the bass in this position.
What I suggest Joe do is install a Vandersteen High pass like he is installing a 2WQ woofer and he can drop the bass down in 3 DB choices untill his excessive corner wall room gain falls into place. This will directly effect his percetion of the high frequencies and correct the issue.
Cheers Johnntr

Greetings
If you take a look at the Pics of the 1986 2c that joe is selling you will see it is up against the wall in the corner and next to another corner wall unit
any accurate speaker will be up about 12 plus DB in the bass in this position.
What I suggest Joe do is install a Vandersteen High pass like he is installing a 2WQ woofer and he can drop the bass down in 3 DB choices until his excessive corner wall room gain falls into place. This will directly effect his perception of the high frequencies and correct the issue.
Cheers Johnnyr