$10K or less speakers for 20x20 rm with open back

Seanile
You mentioned an "open back to the kitchen" of your room and I believe that it deserves some attention as well in order to achieve the best sound that you can without compromising your expenditures. I have a much smaller room that has an open partially open front wall (my speakers are on the front from where I'm sitting) to the kitchen and by investing in Room Tunes I have elevated the sound to a level that I never had before, instead of changing equipment (as I had), spending thousands and never getting anywhere near the resulting satisfaction as I enjoy now. It's just my opinion that you should also make this a consideration for your monetary allocation and enjoyment and let me know what you think if you would.

Of the speakers you have heard already which did you prefer. That is the only opinion that really means anything to you. I do think that most brands have a house sound that is frequently "voiced" thru out their line. If you like the Focal then perhaps you should trust yourself and go with them. You can "tweak" the sound with the gear you use to drive the speakers, but it is best to start with the speakers.
That said try to listen to as many brands as possible so you can feel reassured that you have made the best choice for your taste.

So far it's pretty close between the Focal 1038be and the Aerial 7T. Going to listen to Revel Studio 2's on Friday. Hopefully after that I will be able to make a decision. Then comes the fun of picking an integrated amp and figuring out how to play my iTunes library and have it sound decent. Also going to look into a high quality streaming service. I'd really like to avoid having to buy CD's.

"07-16-14: Seanile
So far it's pretty close between the Focal 1038be and the Aerial 7T. Going to listen to Revel Studio 2's on Friday. Hopefully after that I will be able to make a decision. Then comes the fun of picking an integrated amp and figuring out how to play my iTunes library and have it sound decent. Also going to look into a high quality streaming service. I'd really like to avoid having to buy CD's."

Given what you are asking for in your first post, I think the Aerial's fit the description best. They sound very good all around, but when you turn the volume up for loud music, the 7T should easily be the best. I've seen them several times in HT systems where people push them as hard as possible, and they hold up. That said, I'll make another selection that may seem like an odd choice. My good friend is a Meridian fanatic. They make speakers that have amps and DAC's built in. All you would need to add is whatever transport you prefer (CD, DVD, PC, iPod etc..), and that's it. Honestly, they wouldn't be my first choice, but they're not for me. I think there's a very good chance that you would really like them. If you just want something that has good SQ, and plays extremely loud and clean, it wouldn't hurt to look at them. They also look great and are fairly simple. You plug each speaker in and run a digital IC from your transport to the speakers, and that's it. No big boxes and cables all over.

Seanile, I'd suggest a trial audition of the Janszen zA2.1 if you can arrange one. With a little care in set up they can perform much better than show reports.

They are very musical and detailed, can fill a large space, are an easy load which does not require huge power, and placement is easier than most planars since they are in a closed back cabinet.