I tried 28 inch stands and found them to be at the right height. I am limited by the bookshelves, but designed them to be about 28 inches for the speakers. When my wife is gone for a time I will pull them off the shelves and put them on the stands. The VS stands are 26 inches, but I like my speakers a little higher then ear level. The VR-1s give a beautiful height to the soundstage, much broader and higher than any small speaker I have heard. Even in the bookshelves they can disappear, even better about 24 inches from the back wall, 28 inches high. I may add a subwoofer, but in that room it will require pre-approval ;) I really appreciate that Albert has designed a speaker that fits that niche of smaller rooms and limited budgets with expansive and detailed sound. I am still looking for an amp. I think that a clean solid state amp, even class A, should work fine. The Marantz 7200 or something similar. It will be low to medium level volume...more pure than loud.
You may decide to visit them again for a second room!