What speaker to buy to start over.

Considering you don't keep any speaker too long,consider B&W or Vandersteen ,due to the resale value ( very popular ) as you will probably change again fairly soon..These two speakers are easy to sell down the road.........

There is an original pair of Vandy 5 speakers for $5000, but to upgrade them is like $4000, but all the same the 5 would be a great speaker and in your budget.

With that money, in that room, I think I'd look for a pair of Dunlavy SC V's.

I had a pair of Vandersteen 3a sig with 2 2Wq subs in a system. It was very nice but did not play rock well at all. I loved it for jazz and female vocals. I was using a Classe 400 and Audio Research LS22. I have not had the pleasure of hearing the model 5.

Not sure that any Vandy is really a rock speaker, but i never heard the 5 series (owned 2s and 3Asigs/2Ws). If the latter did not float your boat, then the 5s probably would not either. 17 x 25 is a good size room, $7k is a good size budget. If you are talking used, I would recommend Von Schwiekert VR 4 Srs, which seem to be available in that price range.