Dahlquist DQ20's vs. Vandersteen 2CE

Go with the DQ20's if you want to tinker, Vandys if you want turn-key.

would condsider vandies if you want a "warmer more forgiving sound"

or

Alon's II or IV instead of the dq 20's... they are a very highly reguarded speakervery similiar yet updated design of the dq-20 (same designer)
also, the alon drivers are still available...the iv's might do better for the bass response given the size of your room..

keep in mind the alons are very inefficent and extemely revealing compared to the vandersteen ( much more refinded in the mids and highs, the vandys sound signature are warmer/more forgiving in this range..) but the alons will totally disappear when set up right ( the alons are very cohearent...like a maggie but with bass... one of the most musical speakers i have heard hands down....

like any dipole, they are sensitive to rear wall placement but much more forgiving on the side wall placement..

good luck,

mike

Mike, very good suggestion, I have DQ-30I's.
I talked a friend into getting the Alon V's, since they were a little easier to find at quite reasonable prices.
I find all the speakers in metion above including Avalon Ascent Mk.2's (yes pricier) are very open sounding, extremely musical, without any major downfalls.
Another speaker I like (but can't find) with similar attributes are Metaphors.

i found the Alons very pale in comparision to the DQs, expecting them to be similar due to the creator but perhaps improved because of more updated materials, in the end the DQs proved irreplacable. the Alons put out a sound that comes from an exact point, unlike the DQs, that put out a very wide image.

For greater low end, if you really like the DQ-20 (as I do), add a REL sub. They are so tailor-able, they will mate with just about any good speaker. I spent upwards of 40 hours with a tone disk and a sound level meter to get totally seamless bass. It is a lot of effort, but with the combinations of adjustments in the REL, that is what it takes to get a flat room / gentle roll-off.