Speakers - Your "Safest" Choice

I’d get powered ATC SCM40’ ($12K), sell the amp, and pocket the difference.

You can buy some great sounding speakers for a lot less than 20k... but I have to say you need to find a way to listen to them in person first. Find the closest place that sells high end equipment and go there. Make sure they sell many different brands first.

There are way too many associated variables to warrant an absolute answer. A perfect speaker for one person's application might be unlistenable to someone else and his application. Maybe that is why there are so many choices and so many different approaches. Exclusive of the cost, if there were a perfect speaker, there would be no need for any others.

Definitely agree with the Sonus Faber and Revel recommendations. I’ll also throw in Dynaudio. I feel like Dynaudio are one speaker that you almost can’t not like. They sort of ooze out and surround you and draw you in. Whereas some others (like B&W) jump out and grab you. I find Dynaudio to grow on you more and more the more time you spend with them. That said I have SF Sonetto in a second system and Revel Be in my theater setup and can’t go wrong with either…

Borresen X3 or X6 they are an amazing choice 

Marten Oscar Trio really good too 

Wilson Sasha DAW used or Sabrina used too 

You are save with those choices