Need advice

@mormark — My deepest apologies. After years of being here I get a little frustrated when certain information isn’t provided, and I failed to realize you’re new here. Welcome, by the way. I’m honestly trying to help here and hopefully get you better and more targeted recommendations for your specific tastes because we all hear differently and value different things. Let me be specific — although you’ve given some good info, we don’t know what is probably the most valuable information to make recommendations specific to your tastes. So, if you could let us know what aspects of sound reproduction and speaker performance are most important to you — i.e. tonality (warm vs. neutral), detail (hyper detail or not), imaging, 3D soundstage, pace rhythm and timing, bass (depth or speed), dynamics (micro/macro), etc. — it would be super helpful for us to better make recommendations specific to your tastes and needs. And again, my sincerest apologies for my rudeness before. I really do want to help if possible.

Even at a 1k price point for speakers, there are TONS of options. I will third or fourth or whatever the "go listen" approach. Preferable somewhere that may have your amp/int. Then go from there. Used is always a good option, but not always without potential pitfalls, no different than buying anything used. One set of speakers I have are the B&W 600 series speakers. I have the first gen, which to my ears are the better sounding of the line. A good set of towers 683/684 can be had for less than 1k easily. I have the 684's and think there are great. Partnered with a well placed sub (or not) can present a very nice overall system.

Tekton Lore is on sale for $1000 a pair delivered and Lore Reference for $750. Check out the Tekton Facebook group or give owner Eric Alexander a call for more. 

Soix...
Thank you. I appreciate your making things right. My dad always told me that people will always have bumps...it's what they do AFTER the bump that tells the tale. 
I am so new that much of the "audio-speak" is foreign to me. I grew up in San Francisco in the 60's and 70's as a kid/teenager. My mom was a studio pianist. I grew up on EVERYTHING. So a significant amount of my "hearing" was live. If I understand the language correctly, I think that I'd like neutral(?) I wouldn't think I'd be a fan of much coloring..in other words if you hit a D or an A-flat..then that is what I want to hear. My mom always said the the musician should be able to present what they wanted people to hear..that's why she was a live pianist mainly. So I guess I'd say that even though I'm a noob..my ear is a little critical...I look for correct notes...duration of note...ebb or decay...not punctuation..and not mood. Perhaps I should break into my stash and just write a 5k or 10k ck...but then I'd have to buy my wife something of equal value...haaa. Does that noob description help?

Thanks..how nice it is to keep getting all this help.

If Hi-Fi Heaven hasn't yet sold my old (but perfect) Wharfedale EVO2-40s, priced I think at $850, you might love them. Elegantly stylish in rosewood with all accessories including white gloves, highly musical, a bargain even at their original retail of $2k. Last I knew, HFH had photos posted online.