Forgiving, musical speaker....

Mirage OMD-15. Originally $2500/pair, they are now available through vanns.com for $800-1000/pair with free shipping, return privileges and full factory warranty. They have a 9" x 11" footprint and are slightly forward-throwing omnidirectional. They *can* rock out because they have good dynamics and clarity, but really excel on vocals and acoustic instruments. I love mine for jazz, acoustic pop, Sinatra/Krall/Bennett, James Taylor, Miles Davis, etc.

They are placement-friendly and throw a realistic and very stable soundstage. Excellent speakers for parties or for puttering around the house as they fill the listening space very evenly regardless of where you sit or stand. Very natural sounding and engaging.

If you later crave more resolution, all you have to do is upgrade the electronics and cabling, and the OMD-15s will rise to the occasion. I use mine both for casual *and* critical listening. They give up lots of music without beating you over the head with edgy detail.

09-06-12: Rose75
How about Ohm Walsh?

Another great choice for the same reason as the Mirage OMD15. For performance for the dollar, I have to give the nod to the Mirage OMD-15 and 28, which in performance are equivalent to the Ohm 2000/3000 and Ohm 5000, respectively. However, those Mirages are $800 and $2600/pair, which is a lot less money than the equivalent Ohms.

Original prices would have made it more of a dead heat as the OMD 15 and 28 were originally $2500 and $7500, but at $800 and $2600, to me it's a no-brainer. And I say this as a 4-year OMD-15 owner.

09-08-12: Unsound
With all due respect but when you ask for a "Forgiving, musical
speaker"..."but {not} too detached or polite...." you might be
asking for a contradiction.

It seems like a contradiction,
but it's more of a paradox. Such speakers are out there--speakers that present a
full, detailed experience without driving people out of the room with hyper detail
and tipped-up treble. Examples include the Mirages, Spendors, and Ohms
already mentioned, and a stellar example is Sonus Faber, which somehow
delicately balances a wealth of detail with a full-bodied presentation that is
seductively musical on a wide variety of material.

Toward the end of 1996 I bought a pair of Mirage M5si's. They still anchor my 7.2 HT system. In early 1997 I auditioned a pair of Sonus Faber Concerto Grand Pianos and I marveled at how similar their tonal balance was to my Mirages. And although the SF's are front-firing and the Mirages bipolar, they had a similar effect in energizing the room as well.

Recently I listened to a pair of SF Cremona Ms. They're a great example of balancing low level detail with a lush, enticing musical presentation. If I had $10K sitting around, I'd have a pair ASAP.

Phasecorrect, you may get just what you're looking for from the GoldenEar Triton Two. Most of the business is handled by an MTM arrangement where the tweeter is a Heil-style folded ribbon. It is quite smooth and extended. Bass is handled by internally powered woofers augmented by passive radiators, that extends down into the 20s. The bass output is adjustable and the internal power is 1200w, so you can get that lean and extended bass you seek. The speaker has a rounded trapezoidal footprint, so the 7" wide front baffle helps make for superb imaging. Best of all these speakers retail for $3K/pair, and a smaller version, the Triton 3 goes for $2K/pair.

Reviews abound, including comprehensive treatments from The Abso!ute Sound and Stereophile. I heard a pair demo'd by GoldenEar founder Sandy Gross with hi-def digital sources supplied by John Atkinson. Most impressive, involving, and easy to listen to.