Floorstanders with a large sweetspot

Audiokinesis Rhythm Prisms offer very flexible placement and a large sweet spot.

For SAF, "the near wall specific" North Creek Big Kats with Lee Taylor custom box work veneer on all sides would be very hard to beat: gorgeous wood (perhaps choosen jointly with your better half), and unobtrusive placement and size. Comes in somewhat over your pricepoint, but perhaps worth a stretch.

http://northcreekmusic.com/

>05-11-12: Mapman
>"As a devotee for years of First Order Crossovers because of the phase correct delivery, I overlooked the directionality that they impart."
>
>Lrsky, why is a first order crossover more directional?

Excursion to produce a given SPL quadruples with each octave lower you play while a first order cross-over only halves output with each octave out of the pass band so excursion is still doubling in the higher frequency driver with each octave lower for a given program SPL level until the high-pass ceases to have a first order slope.

This forces a higher cross-over point where the lower frequency driver is more directional.

The larger frequency range of overlap between drivers covering adjacent parts of the frequency spectrum with appreciable output also causes more lobing in the vertical polar response.

Drew,

Makes sense. Thanks.

Two other suggestions are the Von Schweikert VR-33 and, if you can find them, Allison One. WAF is so subjective involving size, shape, color/finish, detailing, decor of the rest of the room, etc.