Candidates for best speakers in the $2000-5000 market

LOL, we have as many nominees as we have posts. Perhaps testimony to a good question, right?

If current popularity is a guide, Harbeth, Mission, KLH, JBL and Wharfedale big box, low baffle step throwbacks may be worth a chat as a category of speaker within this discussion.

Because hi-fi is such an immersive technical hobby there’s not much chance of consensus but it might be fun to develop a decision grid by category of good products available between $2k snd $5k.

Reading some love here for 3-5 year old second hand, for example, as a category?

If you're wanting to stick w/monitors to match your gear and buy new, consider Klipsch Heresy. A used pair of Tannoy Stirling or Eaton would sound fabulous, too, and match well, but might be a little large for your wife although they're elegant and furniture-like if that's your bag. I liked them both and they're easily driven by your amp. 

Vandersteen mate well w/pretty much anything except your wife. Dynaudio and Totem monitors are exceptional but your Primaluna won't have the power to open them up.

Having owned all the above and held the same considerations, the Klipsch stand a good chance of making you both happy. Having written that, I picked up a pair of Daedalus Athena v2's for 3500 and they're not leaving anytime soon even in the face of some initial lamentations and protests from my wife. In the end, though, she's happy to see the parade of cartons having come to a close....temporary as that may be give our collective predilection!

Also using PrimaLuna for amplification (Dialogue HP Integrated) and settled on a used pair of Focal Aria 936’s and couldn’t be happier. Well within your budget. SQ has exceeded my expectations and scored well on the WAF scale (wife acceptance factor).

Gallo Reference 3.5 w/ the additional subwoofer amp to power the 2nd voice coil would light up your room. They come up once in a while here and on US audio mart. One of my favorite top end and low extension speakers.