frequency response - B&W vs. Monitor Audio

Thanks for all the posts, very interesting. My amp is a 15 year old Yamaha RX-485, I'm also running a 15 year old Yamaha CDP. I cannot decide if I want to upgrade the speakers or the electronics! Budget is about $1600.
No one has mentioned anything about high-passing the B&Ws, would that help? I'm afraid it would hurt the imaging of the sound, too much coming from the sub in the corner.
Even if I upgrade the speakers, I will still be missing that extra low-end oomph; I think I need a sub woofer.
I will probably purchase a <$1000 integrated and mate it with a sub woofer. The room is small, like 14x12x8. Possible combos include Cambridge Audio 650 + SVS PB10, or an NAD C326 with a Velodyne DEQ-10R. NAD to sub connections are quirky. The CA has A/B switching, so I can do a high-level connect to the sub.

Jaxwired your point is well taken regarding the BR2s, and if I had done my homework before buying the B&Ws I may well have ended up with the MA RX2s.
I think I am going to buy the powered sub and upgrade my amp as well; with a powered sub, would the CA still seem as bright? I like the CA's dual speaker channels, enables me to purchase new speakers (B&W 683 or better) later and basically have a 4.1 system, on my way to building the perfect 5.1 surround system for the living room.
Also, the CA 650 has 25 more watts than the NAD, but it does not have main-amp-in connections. Still no one has posted regarding the idea of high-passing the 685s - good idea or not?

Bob_Reynolds, thanks again for another interesting equipment suggestion, will research it in the near future. Regarding surround sound, I won't be able to place a system in the living room for about a decade - kids are too young. So I was thinking about starting to build up the speakers - B&W 600 series looks very nice.
I am going to stick with the 685s and definitely get a powered sub. Amp is TBD.
Thanks all...

THREAD UPDATE:
I have all new electronics in the listening room, and I am currently "borrowing" the 685s from my upstairs home theater. I want the 685s back up there, so I am now considering Monitor Audio BX5s, PSB T45-T55...listening room now features a newer Denon changer, the Halo P3, and a 200wpc Rotel amp...

THREAD UPDATE:
went with the MA BX5s and I'm very happy with them...