Full range speakers, 40"-44" max height

speaker polar patterns are an issue, particularly tweeters.

tweeters disbursement is narrower than mids and lows

horns can control/enhance directivity, I have T350's in my speakers

dome tweeters radiate equally narrow

POLAR PATTERNS https://www.audiofrog.com/dispersion-and-reflection/ scroll down, see the diagram, gradual narrowing of dispersion pattern as frequencies rise. he’s talking about cars, but it’s the same at home excerpt: "But the real deal here is not to be hoodwinked by someone’s BS suggestion that you should aim the speaker differently to fix a reflection problem. That’s only useful at the highest frequencies a speaker will play. Below that, it makes no difference." "So, in a 3-way system, which speaker should be aimed? Just the tweeter."

In this constrained category I only heard Wilsons and Meridian. And they sounded fantastic. I do not want to go into deep theory, absolutely no time for that, I leave it to the manufacturers. To me as an end user, the only thing that matters is the sound, I like it or not.

I guess I will need a new topic opened regarding analog players / recorders connectivity to Meridian DSP speakers.

Sonus Faber makes several models that fit your altitude requirements.

Fyne Audio makes some fine (no pun intended, but it does fit) speakers.  Their F501 is under your height limit and within your price limit when new.  The F502s may be just over your limits but very close, when new as regards price.  The F702 might be in your price range used, although I suspect there are not many coming up for sale—I have a pair and think they are superb, and they are 43.7” tall.  The F500 series is made in China with MDF cabinets, and the F500SP and F700 series are made in Scotland with laminated hardwood cabinets, if I remember correctly.  There also are a number of other upgrades to those made in Scotland.  I am driving the F702s with a 100 wpc tube amp (Rogue Audio Stereo 100 “Dark”), and the sound is superb, with excellent imaging, tonal qualities, and three-dimensional sound stage.  My only criticism is a bit of weakness on the bass, but a sub would fix that.