quest for speaker upgrade

Verity Audio ceased operations in Dec 2023 but there are still some speakers available in the supply chain (dealers, distributors) as well as the used market.

They have a great reputation for reliability, and I would have no hesitation in buying a pair.

You have some good ones to choose from.  As mentioned I would first decide on the sound profile you desire.  I will call them more resolving / analytical or something less analytical and "musical" in an acoustic insturement sense.  This is probably a poor description.  The Gershmans land in the latter category.  Another possibility may be the Borrresen X series.  By all means listen to them in person to make sure you get the correct flavor for your particular taste.

i think in this price range i will go the dealer route rather than used market, i am comfortable buying used normally and have have no bad experience in the past  but i would limit my exposure to about 3k limit buying used through CAM  at 20K  i think i would feel more comfortable going the bricks and mortar route perhaps  in the demo or trade in  route.

i might ad B& W  to my short list, although i have never given B & W a second look not sure why

I heard the 30 anniversery Grand Avant Gard at the last Toronto audiofest with pass labs electronics. Found them a bit soft, smooth and easy to listen to but if you like that sound then it might be the one for you. I just got JA Perspective2s. These are best I had in my space. Very punchy, dynamic, transparent with a just hint of softness at top. However, you have a big space so might be a better going with a larger speakers like SabrinaX or YG Ascent. More money but will fill your space much nicely.