best speakers for vocals?

Harbeth may not give you the front row perspective you seek, but I think they do vocals spectacularly well. There's a human-ness, a real-life-voicebox quality to singers, which I have not heard to the same degree with other speakers. But many other good recommendations above.

Sounds like you want a good mid-range driver.

Try a google search for "renowned soft dome mid-range"

If size is an issue, then the Merlin VSM-MXs already recommended are definitely ones I would recommend you look at as well (very nice all-around speaker at $10K/pr., IMO). I also liked the GMA speakers a lot (I heard the Callistos) and can recommend them as well, but I preferred the Merlins (which cost considerably more).

If size is not as much an issue as I think it is, then there are some others that I can easily recommend along with the previously mentioned speakers above...

The Tyler Acoustics Woodmeres at $12K/pr. would be a good choice... They are large, but do not take up a huge amount of floor space (more tall than deep) and sound very good all-around, particularly on female vocals.

Finally, my personal favorites are just outside your price range new (18.2K/pr.), but easily within it used... They are the McIntosh XRT-28s. Like the Woodmeres, they are tall and a tad wide, but not particularly deep floorstanders that play female vocals *very* well. Allison Krauss sounds phenominal on them, BTW.

---Dave

Quad electrostats or Harbeths are the best I've heard for vocal reproduction.

Try Silverlines with a good 300B based SET amp...Viva, Art Audio,etc. Absolutely spooky real on female vocalists.