Newbie needing experts' advice

There is a pair of Legacy Sig III's for sale in Audiogon for 1700 or so - they retail for 3500 or so and would be a good match for you with a good WAF. Check out the Legacy site. Also a used pair of Martin Logan SL3's might be had for this. I am sure you will get a lot of good choices. In the new speaker division check out the Gershman Acoustics Cameleon - it is a new model for them and retails for 1699 new and looks great. Check with Steve at soundvideo.com or it might be soundvision.com - he is in Minnesota and will give you a great deal - I bought a pair of Gershman Avant Garde RX 20's with his help. Have fun with the hunt!

Wow, that is a tough one. It's funny, and I gotta laugh, but I hear so many people tell me that they got all this gear, and then they decide to get the speakers last!!! They get the speakers as a last thought it seems!...which is totally backwards really. The speakers are about 40-50% of the sound of the gear, and should be considered first!!..then adding the gear. Oh well, it's the way it is.
REally, room, taste, listening habits (i.e, sit in one spot, or move around the house, or other listeners), and how loud you play are big factors for sure. If it were my money, and I'm looking at what you bought for amp/preamp, and making a judgment call, I'd look at someithing down the line of some Thiel 1.5's (used at $1000 range) or Thiel 2.2's or 2.3's (used at $1400-$2000) for that tube gear! I've had all in my sytems, and they work great with tubes, and will do reasonable hard rock at harder levels depending*(the 1.5's won't do Metalica that well at volume though). If you could get the 2.3's at around $1800-$2000 used, I'd grab em for those tubes, yes! This is ultra high rez, very clear/neutral sounding w/tubes(better than most by a long way), and do classical, rock, and everything else very well!
Also, this kind of speaker by Thiel will yield you very flexible off axis listening and around the house as well!...which some panel speakers won't allow you to do.
However, you may dig the opposite spectrum like Martin Logans, which you may also like with all kinds of music as well!(*although you must sit infront of them for proper sound..not my cup of tea really). The Logan SL3's can be found used at around you're price range sometimes. All the abover speakers are easy to sell off if you don't like either, alway's some buyers.
My suggetion would be to go to some dealers and listen to the types of sound from these speakers, or others, to get an idea of what you think will do your music right for you. I know alot of audio retailers would shoot me for saying that...but you really won't be getting anything world class or even close for $1500 new at a retail store...for sure!
If you do do this, just be honest and upfront with em, and say you're just listening and gethering ideas, and see if they got any demo's or floor models they want to move or something.
good luck.
Good luck, it'll be fun though. Ultimately, you

Thiel 1.5s would work very well.

You can check out what owners of some of these suggestions have to say about them on audioreview.com - if this helps.

Thank you all for your great inputs. I live in a loft (20 x 30 x 12). The speakers will sit along 20' wall with brick wall and windows in the back. Hardwood floor. Lively sound. My listening habits vary: sometimes walk around or sit down. Wife LOVED Silverline Sonata MKI (they were pretty, indeed), but I had an itch and changed to ML Sequel II. Now she says they're too tall. Ugh... Anyone has any experience with Kef Ref 3?