05-07-12: Aquablu8
How about Gallo 3.5, Aerial 7t, Sonus Faber Luito, Focal electra or Tidal speakers?
The reviews I've read of the Liutos indicate that they're sort of a "lite" version of the Cremona M's. There's one less woofer and the Liuto's use a dome tweeter where the Cremona M uses a ring radiator, which tends to have more speed and detail. The Liuto is considered an excellent speaker at the price, but I found the Cremona M to be ... breathtaking.
The best news is that the Cremona M setup I heard was being driven by a $999 Marantz PM8004 integrated amp. This amp uses the HDAM circuit making for an amp section with a s/n ratio of 125 dB. It was a fantastic combo. So what you spend on the speakers, you might be able to save on the amplification.