b&w 685: heard 'em, liked 'em, but wondering

howdy audiogon community,

Im looking to buy a pair of new speakers for no more than $700 or so. They will be my first pair of somewhat decent speakers and powered by an 80w per channel marantz receiver. In shops I've been listening to the b&w 685 and cm1, dali ikons 1 and 2 and some speakers from paradigm and kef.

While I do like what I hear coming from the 685s- for the money, It sounds damn good- I am wondering if there's any other new speakers out there worth considering within my budget before I bring home the 685s.

My taste in music is fairly varied. I find myself listening to albums by the following- Wilco, Leo Kottke, The Allman Brothers Band, Charlie Parker and Sublime. That said, I would rather see more of my money go towards reproducing detailed mids and highs than powerful bass.

Looking around this site, I'm humbled by the knowledge and dedication you all have for hi-fi. I'm new to it all and am eager to hear some recommendations.
Cheers