Battle of the affordables

A spendor A7 tower will sound better than anything on your list and come in under the top of your range.  

Philharmonic towers are worth investigating.  

Nice Speakers listed here...I'm cheap I'll go with Polk...they aways have clearance sales...lol

None.  My lord, SO many good speakers, ProAc, Living Voice, Spendor, Joseph, Acora, etc.

Kef: would love to try them in my room, but have been warned they cannot produce the SPL in my GIGANTIC (volume 50 x50 x20 or so) room even so I am only concerned with 80 Hz and above (have great sub to handle the rest). 

I LOVED my B&W Nautilus 804, and for $2k used, GREAT buy. Hate 'sharp' highs, no issue with mine. 

Replaced with smaller 2 way, which is at mechanical limits in my very large (volume) room, even with sub crossed at 120 Hz. 

Current favorite (not fully evaluated) in the 'affordable' (under 2k) segment: Focal Chora 826.