What speaker to buy to start over.

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.

I personally don't think of electrostatic type speakers when I think of rock and roll. I'm not sure how much the Summits are, but if they fall in or around $9k, I would give Zuaudio's (a brand spanking new pairA of) Definition 1.5s a shot. They have an unbelievable moneyback guarantee, which you cannot beat with a stick: 60 days!! 101 db sensitivity. Jazz is my thing/female vocal/male and I can do reggae and good old fashion rock like in my Woodstock days. Speakers play with phenominal resolution at the lowest volumes and will drop your pictures on the floor at ear bleed level with only 100 watts. Would you believe they can handle 500 watts! There are oodles in the archives on the Definitions.