modest towers with high WAF for living room?


Looking for opinions on this one. I've been running with Paradigm Studio-20s (V5) for over a year and want to upgrade. This is for our living room, 100% 2ch music. The Studios have been a nice intro into quality speakers. Now, I'm looking for something with a bit more bass presence plus, I want to get away from speaker stands.
My living room is large, 14X24', but we tend to listen at low-mid levels ... jazz, blues, classical, folk, some rock. I don't blast or need "wall thumpers".

I really want these to be nice, attractive, to get buy-in from the wife! ; )

Budget? Well < $2K preferrably, $2500 max.

My priorities: high WAF, sonic upgrade from the Studio20s, modest size ... don't want them to dominate the room.

Some candidate
albireo13
The Aerial 6's are wonderful if you have the power to drive them. Alternatively, the Spendor S5e/A5 is very nice and a little easier to drive. I've owned them both.
Gallo Reference 3.1s - available here for approx. $1800/pr. gntly used. Much better than any of the speakers listed so far...

-RW-
Check out a pair of Ariel 8's that are for sale here. I used to have a pair of Audio Physic Tempo 3's. They are a nice looking floor standing speaker that sound great and are also for sale on this site.
Check out the Dali Helicon 400. Easy to listen to, a little warmth, musical. Not an analytical, high detail speaker.

I think the mk Is look a litle nicer with the grille cloths extending to the floor. Finish is very nice high gloss cherry or rosewood.