Best speakers for 3 cord rock and roll

I agree with Gmood1. I've heard the Emerald Physics. You really should go to hear these. For 3K, you are there in a 3D soundstage. Open baffle bass is incredible.
All the other choices above are good choices for what you are looking for, but the EM C2s are in a whole different class.

ATC 11s. Your beloved rock was probably mixed on a pair of ATCs. In-house choice of 1,000 recording studios for 30 years. Sony Studios, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty and Rolling Stones all use a more sophisticated studio version of these. They come in active mode as well, ATC 20s and 16s, which have built-in amps. www.sonicflare.com just did a nice review of the 19, which is a step up from your budget. One of the best reviews I have read. Have used this product for 20 years. Will run circles over most speakers listed above and love to be played loud.

Can second Richmon: Paradigms are the single best value-for-performance speaker in the consumer market. Studio 20's and Atoms are great speakers. Sound great with Almarro tube amps out of Japan. Try the 205. If solid state is your sound, try the NAD 372.

You're doing yourself a disservice by not including Klipsch on your shortlist. Many models can easily be had below your budget.

Thanks for all of the great recommendations. I actually have a 1960's juke box at my cabin and listen to a lot of old stuff on the weekends. It has tubes and does sound better in mono than in stereo!
I think I may be leaning toward the horns just because a lot of the stuff was recorded in mono thru tube equipment. I did check out the Horn shoppe, but can these little things acually be that good? My listening room is 14x20 with 16' vaulted ceilings and a real open floor plan. Actually the best place to put speakers are in the corners so the horns may even produce some bass.

Don't know where you're located, but another set of JBL 4430's showed up today ($1800-ish), BUT they're a "local pick-up only" in the L.A. area.

Just an another sugestion...