Can a monitor sound like a floorstander??

Audiokicks, I for one believe you ARE on topic. However, the integration and other scary issues you referred to are less problematic than you present.
Also, the smaller ("monitor" size) spkr will perform nicely in classical music and for reasonable outlay and cover ~70-90% of the spectrum. So, adding subwoof(s) crossed ~80-90Hz can complete the system famously.

The 150 quality + robust watts you refer to give maxi ~21db headroom -- less if you have to move big or many woofs, so really Ozzy & Seandtailor do have a point:)

Finally, I'll contend (again) that full-range passive spkrs capable of playing classical well (NOT outstanding, just well) are outrageously expensive.

Cheers

If 30 Hz/0 Db is enough you could considder the J.M.Reynaud Offrande.
Very very good!
http://www.jm-reynaud.com/jmr_us/offrande.html

No, a monitor cannot sound like a floorstander, no matter how high quality.

Dynaudio C1, Guarnaris, ATC, Verity Parsifal Monitor, whatever it is, even when you add a SOTA Sub like a Velodyne DD, will NEVER sound like a Watt Puppy, A Utopia, a big kharma, a big VS, etc.

If you need a full midrange, big scale dynamics in the lower midrange and bass, ability to play loud in large rooms, etc, there is NO EXCEPTION - You need a large speaker. Physics are physics

I think if you are going to speak in absolute terms on this subject, then yes, it's difficult to compare a monitor speaker to a floorstander apples/apples. However, speaking in relative terms it really depends on which specific floorstander you are using for comparison and which monitor - they're not all created equal, for sure.

For example, I have a pair of Hales Revelation One monitors that, while not truly "full range" in absolute terms, can definately provide a very rewarding experience even on full orchestral music. These monitors may be an exception, but set up properly on stout stands in my living room (14 x 17) and driven by an Arcam Alpha 10P power amp, these speakers truly "play large" for their relatively small size. I've listened to the soundtrack to "Immortal Beloved" at fairly high volume and they really hold it together.. cellos, bass, piano and all...lots of "body" and "weight" to the instruments and the tone is pitch-true.. amazing! JZ

As I tried to point out earlier, the Summits have, in my room at least, a dynamic range very similar to that of the prior speaker I owned, the Paradigm Studio 100 V3. I think the bass is actually BETTER on the Summits. When I first listened to the Summits in the store, I had no idea that they were so small, with the bottom part being the stand.

Goatwuss, I agree that no monitor will reproduce the extreme low frequencies of a gargantuan floorstander, but some such units actually seem to be monitors themselves, except that they have the monitor stacked on top of the bass unit. At this point, the two configurations begin to overlap.

A better question might be this one: Can a floorstander without a subwoofer sound as good as a monitor with one or two subwoofers (IF the subwoofer(s) is/are set up optimally)? This is a particularly important question with respect to the speakers' agility and soundstaging characteristics. In my subjective experience, most floorstanders (except for the Audio Physic Caldera, retail ~20K or more) simply do not image as well as most GOOD monitors I've heard, even within the same product line. For example, I thought that the Totem Tabu imaged much, much better than the Totem Shaman, although I did hear those at two different stores. Nrchy's post would seem to generally agree with this, although Avguygeorge appears to have had a very different experience, and he has changed only one component.

So, opinions on this topic vary, but are not (generally) diametrically opposed. I switched from floorstanders to "monitors" and Avguygeorge (if I'm interpreting his thread response correctly) switched from monitors to floorstanders. Both of us are happy (I'm ecstatic, actually) with the result. Bottom line: Your ears will decide for you.

Let us know what you decide to do if you get a chance. We'd like to "monitor" your progress.