Zu Essence vs B&W

I would advocate that you ask your dealer to let you borrow a pair of Von Schweikerts and try them out with your equipment and in your room. If you pay close attention to speaker placement I would be very surprised if they didn't sound awesome for the type of music you listen to.

Also, do any of your local dealers carry any of the French speaker lines: Focal, JM Reynaud or Triangle? All of these are somewhat different, of course, but I find that all of the French speaker manufacturers create a lush yet detailed sound that is stellar for vocals and instumental music.

i haven't heard the Essence, but I have 805's and if you're into honey smooth mids/crystal clear highs, you cannot go wrong with 800 series

with proper amplification, vocals are SO smooth and airy, imaging and soundstage is off the charts if placed properly

the only thing you might need is a subwoofer, if you're into bass that is.. for a small room, i think the bass they provide is fine

I am looking to spend around $5K so the Logan Summit or Spire used would be in the ballpark and so would the 803s. I have an idea of the B&W vs Logan sound but have never heard the Zu. The Summit would be ideal if they could handle rock music. I will try to find a place to listen.

If you are used to Klipsch speakers, the Zu Essence will be right up your alley. The Zu will give you the same dynamics, better midrange clarity, more detail and tighter bass. The Essence is a great bargain.
You don't need as much horsepower for amplification as the B&Ws can be a more difficult load to drive.
The Magnepan 1.6s are tough to beat at their price point X 5 but need lots of power. Class D amps like Wyred would do the trick and keep you on budget.
Another sleeper is the Gershman Sonogram at $3500. With the exchange rate so bad, the American(N) speakers will definitely be a better value.

Well for what it is worth I listened to Metallica's Black album (among other rock) on both the 802D/803D and Spire. The spire had lots of bass and energy to well... Rock. They seemed to play what was there no more no less. While the B&W can "rock" too but they need to be played LOUD to come alive.

Logans can be pretty hard to place right. I find the bass integration changes with distance and integrate best at about 10 feet. If you sit to close there is too much bass and they can sound thin if you are too far back. They also need to be off the rear wall a good bit (most speakers should be anyway).

But really use your own ears and pick the one you like best. I would go listen to all of these speakers again and if you go with Zu have a money back guarantee. I believe any of these speakers will be a good up grade from Klipsch RF-7s