I ended up comparing the small speakers to the very large speaker as I have not heard a large floorstander in that price range that was nearly as good. For example, I listened to both the Polk Audio LSI15 and LSI25, and they seemed ... well, the best way I can describe it is "sloppy" by comparison to the monitors. Both the Polk LSI9 and Amphion Argon 2's have been very well-received as peaks of their respective lines in the past.
The main point being I had been convinced that floorstanders that didn't cost a mint would never be adequate for me in the ways I liked the monitors.
The Tekton Pendragons frankly took me by surprise.