Best small speakers?

Just to pile on, I think the Merlin TSM are well worth considering, very high quality two-way monitors. I would also seek to audition the Harbeth line, HL5s would be my target at the price point and bit better bass performance than their smaller models. Are there better? Who knows, but these are undoubtedly excellent small speakers. Oh, and did I mention Verity......

There are lots of great speakers up to the $5K mark that could go well with the Rogues. I used to own the M150s and they were fantastic amps that did not sound like your typical tube amps.

I own the Harbeth P3ESR and Spendor SA1. Both worthy small speakers that would cost far less than $5KUS. Harbeths have very natural timbre to their sound and sound great with music with real instruments. If fast bass heavy, electronic music is your thing the Harbeths won't suit. Whereas the Spendors have a different sound and I feel can play more genres than the Harbeths as they are faster. They to my ears sound a little more closed in and the tweeter rolled off. What this does believe it or not is really draw you into the music. The sort of speaker that lets you forget about all your gear. Both cracking speakers which is why they are still with me. There is something refreshing with small sealed box speakers that has me hooked!
Just my two cents...

Part of that something I think has to do with what I would call coherence that comes from two drivers rather than 3 or more - few drivers to mesh and make sound like they are cut from the same cloth - also imaging seems to be more precise with two-ways - the advantages are to my liking, which is why I got Merlin VSMs - essentially two-way monitors with "integrated" stands (and electronic equalization to produce almost full-range performance down to 33hz or so. If I had 5k to spend, and was not a matter of size, a used pair of Merlins is what I would get, with considerably better bass performance than is possible with a pure "book-shelf" two-way monitor.

Burmester 022 with stand Burmester 023. Magic.

Alot of great choices, but I have returned to Totem more than any other brand for the way they move me emotionaly. Even my Watt/Puppy 6's, Maggie 3.6s, Dynaudio C4's etc.. were not as expressive and engaging. Totem speakers have a unique way of delivering dynamic shifts, combined with tonal sonority and holographic imaging like no other. It's a total package deal as compared to being the state of the art in any particular category. Most live music is a compramise in and of itself anyway, dependant on venue acoustics, performance and seating assignment. Try a Totem speaker...you may be hooked for life!