Speaker audition recommendations?

@stereo5   And they always say the way to win over a man's heart is through his stomach.🍽🍸

@akg_ca  +2
Audition, audition, audition.
Let your ears be your guide. My approach is to listen to everything and narrow it down to the ones I liked the best. Then, take your amp to the dealer and see if it can work the same magic.
Yes, it will take time and energy, but you will be one step closer to enlightenment.
B

Well I went and auditioned the Golden Ear Reference’s and the Paradigm Persona 3F’s. The references are quite large. Bigger than what I thought. I was not blown away by these speakers. The lacked the nice highs and midrange. It maybe the bass was overpowering. The definitely have a wide soundstage. The Persona F3’s were much better in terms of dynamics, mid’s and highs and very smooth and balanced. Could not compete on the bottom end and soundstage with the GE’s. I would like to audition the Persona’s at home. They are stunning looking and more to my taste.

Vandy Treo CT would be on my my short list in this price range. I've only heard the non-CT version - and quite liked it. Made in US, too. I haven't heard the Persona line but not surprised you like them, based on drivers and technology (altho' I wish the midrange driver wasn't so big).

.....The references are quite large. Bigger than what I thought. I was not blown away by these speakers. The lacked the nice highs and midrange. It maybe the bass was overpowering. The definitely have a wide soundstage......

Did you happen to take note as to where the bass dial was set? Anything clockwise of 12 could very well cause overpowering of the bass with respect to the mid/tweeter. The bass can be adjusted +/- 7.5 db, and the reason for the control is precisely to tame the bass when/if needed. 

For that matter, when auditioning any speaker that has some kind of level control over one or more drivers it certainly makes sense to take note of where those controls are set, and adjust accordingly.