I second the Vandersteen recommendation. Would also suggest Magnepan (Several new or used models in your price range), or a used pair of Quad ESLs, either the 57 or 63 (and its later derivatives). Dipoles do really nice things vis-a-vis room interaction. I like some aspects of the Martin Logan presentation a lot, too, but you'll have to listen and see if you hear the transition between panel and woofer ... I suspect ML has gotten better at this since I last heard them in the late 1990s.
The Tektons are potentially interesting too - big, efficient speakers do things nothing else does in terms of dynamics, scaling, and lifelikeness. It might be worth emailing Tekton to see if there's somebody in your area who'll give you a home audition.
The Tektons are potentially interesting too - big, efficient speakers do things nothing else does in terms of dynamics, scaling, and lifelikeness. It might be worth emailing Tekton to see if there's somebody in your area who'll give you a home audition.