Your subject line includes single driver. I love my PearlAcoustics Sibelius, which are also significantly below your budget. I added a sub. They are rather detailed, and also show flaws of bad recordings. The cohesion from the single driver is wonderful and give me great imaging (depends a lot on set-up, of course).
No idea re listening to them in NYC. Write to Harley Lovegrove (owner of Pearlacoustics) and ask whether there may be an owner willing to have you over for a demo. I'm in California. Customer interaction is at the very top I have experienced in my life with anything.