help narrowing down my list of speakers, $2500

You may be missing the best of the bunch: Focus Audio FS688. List $2990 but can be had for around $2500.

An article in YK Audio in Hong Kong stated they thought they were possibly the best bookshelf speaker ever made.

Hi Jamie. Don't like bookshelves? No problem. I think your confusing biwiring (2 sets of speaker posts) with biamping (2 amps). Because you can use any single amp you want with the speakers I mentioned.

I do have some input though. My room is similar to yours 12x13, I listen primarily to rock and love a wide and deep soundstage.

This is my opinion only for what thats worth.

You can scratch Sonus Faber, Vienna Acoustic, Spendor and Vandersteen. More laid back type of speakers that do better with jazz and acoustic. Wouldn't normally be a first choice for some one who likes rock.

Merlin floorstanders ($10,000 new) unless there much older models are going to cost well above your budget.

Not sure, read some reviews, but I don't think the Silverline or Dali are really speakers one would associate with rockers.

Avalon, PMC and Ariel Acoustic I'm not familiar with.

The Tylers, B&W and Totems though can do rock and these IMO would be some good ones to check into.

There is a problem though.

First. A 12x12 foot room along with floorstanders is not usually a good mix. I figured by your post since you will be adding a sub you would be going with the bookshelf/sub combo that most use in a small room.

You will probably run into some bass response problems using a floorstander in a small room adding a sub may complicate this matter further.

Second if you want a big wide and deep soundstage the speakers are going to have to be well away from the wall. The rear of the speakers probably 30" or more from the back wall.

Third if positioned correctly for a large soundstage. The front baffle is going to be around 4 feet from the rear wall. This will put you about 6-7 feet from the speakers. If you do this you will need to probably look at a 2 way speaker. 3 ways, which many floorstanders are, are going to typically run into integrationg problems at such a near field listening situation.

Fourth and don't be insulted. But by your posts I think you might be new to high end audio and need to do some additional research before shelling out $2500 clams. You may come to the same conclusion that many have reached. A bookshelf, that can be moved away from the wall for listening, along with a subwoofer works better in a small room then a floorstander.

Best Wishes Maxx

Yep, Boa2 wasn' sure about the Silverlines. I know I had the SR17's at the top of my list when looking for a bookshelf. If I hadn't got such a good deal on the FS688's I'd probably have the SR17's now.

I know the SR17s can do Bach or Rock. The name "Sonata II" and some of the other names SL uses on their floorstanders, made me wonder if they wern't maybe voiced different.

I agree if you are going to get floorstanders in a 12x12 room, why not get something that goes deep enough and eliminate the sub.

Best Wishes Maxx

Jamie if you haven't already done so you might want to go to eCoustics.com. Do a keyword search and you will find many, many professional reviews of the speakers on your list.

Also you might want to check out audioreviews.com. These are reviews from actual owners of the speakers.

Two speakers you can scratch off your list are the Avante Garde RX20 and Tyler Reference II's. I've checked into both and they are great speakers but are simply not going to work well in a small room. The other Tyler you mentioned the 7U may be a good possiblilty though, being a slim floorstander thats front ported.

Suprised the Vandersteens are still on your list of rockers. They have a rep of being very laid back and a touch sedate.

None the less do some more research to narrow down the list to no more then 3 or 4. Then come back and you could probably get the input you need to find the one your looking for.

Best Wishes Maxx

Jamie thanks for the kind words. What do you have to listen to besides the B&W? Near any big city you could hit and do some weekend auditions.

I know the more I looked the more my list grew. All and I do mean all seemed to have their fans and critics.

Audioreviews.com as mentioned before was very helpful. When you get multiple owners reviewing the same speaker you will find a certain consitency of strenghts and weaknesses. This should give you a perty good idea if the speaker is really suitable for your application.

Once you get it down to 3 or 4 any of them would probably be a very good choice.

In my own case my list grew to 16 possible canidates at one time. Finally got it down to 4 then decided whichever one of them came availble for a good price would be my choice.

Best Wishes Maxx