Best new/demo/used value for $7.5K range

In this price range the Talon Ravens or a used pair of
Khorus should also be on your list.

I also like the Wilsons. Great build quality and resale value. You can alway start with the Sophias and trade up
when your budget permits.

All I can say is Vandersteen 3A Sig with two 2WQ subs for around $6,000 is a honest bargain. I recently listened to $22,000 Watt Puppy's, and there wasn't enough difference in my mind, to waste $16,000. I also listened to the new Vandersteen 5A's and again at more than twice the price for less than 10% improved sound. Sorry, no deal, of coarse the associated equipment must make it all work together. ARC LS25MII pre, Classe CA300 amp work for me!
Good luck and happy listening.

I think you'd like the Soliloquy 6.5s. Similar in tonal character to the Mahlers but not as boomy. Incredible vocals. Very musical and non-fatiguing. Takes forever to break in, so make sure you listen to an older pair. New, $6.4K. Used, around $3K.

OK, all you B&W, Wilson,etc lovers get out the flame throwers, but I can easily recommend a brand new pair of Von Schweikert VR4 HSE MKIII. They really do, IMHO outperform all the above in sheer musicality, spatiality (transparency), tonality, dynamics, and, they have bass extension down to 16hz (-3db), and are flat to 20hz in a room which can support that kind of bass. It seems odd to say this, but I too, have been on the quest for that perfect speaker for 25 years, and actually worked for a mighty good speaker manufacturer. I also, previously owned my own High End Audio store for 11 years. The question here is, are you buying the name or the best "sounding" speaker? I realize that this is completely subjective, but for me, nothing I have found, sincerely, is quite this much fun, or musical. Electrostatic clarity, horn dynamics, and better than most subwoofer, bass.
They list for $5995. new! One issue, they don't have a fancy wooden cabinet, they are cloth covered, but, depending on your taste, the black cloth with the Hazlewood (kinda looks like rosewood) top plates, and accents are attractive, in a speakery kind of way. It is a must, must hear for you, especially in your price range. You can save money and get a speaker which, again,in my humble opinion, is very, very close to, and in imaging specificity exceed the Nearfield Acoustics Pipedreams, touted as the, "Best speaker in the world", at least, according to the Absolute Sound's Johnathan Valin. BTW, did I mention that the Nearfields also list for @$30K? The Vons Schweikerts are, for the price, a remarkable find. On the other hand,finding a dealer may be harder to do than finding a Wilson, or the B&W's, or the others: plus they do very little advertising. It is definitely worth your time and effort though.
Good luck in your search,
Larry

Ehider,
I found your comments about the GR Research to be interesting. I sold quite a few pairs of Nearfields during 2001 @ $250K worth, so I am very familar with them. I really like the idea of line source speakers, and redundancy of drivers, limiting excursion, therefore distortion. But the inherent problems of lobing are at odds with their fulfilling promise usually. The Nearfields use a series/parallel, (patented, or patent pending) wiring scheme which ameliorates this issue. Do you know what they do with the GR's? I looked at their website, and I don't think they talk about that.
Also, did you hear the four sub, 21's, the largest Pipes, or the smaller? Not that it matters, they really sound, as you might expect very similar, just more dynamic, and more detailed also. Any input is really appreciated.
Thanks for sharing. I had not heard of these before, and they look like a good value, especially in kit form. Hell, they look like a good value regardless!
Larry