Speaker upgrade time! Need high-WAF, stereo pair for ~$1000 (1 Viewer)

Here's my current setup:

4x Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 Classic (L/R/Surr)
1x Ascend Acoustics CMT-340 (Center)
1x Hsu VTF-3 MK II
Onkyo TX-SR600 Receiver


I'm finding that my speakers:
a) Are ugly and intrusive
b) Are too thin for my living room (room is unconfined; shares space with kitchen/dining area) making the mids wash out and unbalancing the center channel.


Since I already have a "decent" setup and it's going to cost a significant amount to really get a noticeably better system, I've decided to sell off the speakers (not the sub though) and spend about $1K on a stereo pair to build around. I'll probably do stereo pair -> upgrade receiver (Onkyo TX-SR805) -> Center/surrounds.

Requirements:
1) High WAF -- no big black boxes.
2) Medium towers or large bookshelves OK
3) Neutral tone with strong midrange performance.
4) Usage 50/50 movies/games at moderate volume
5) Driveable with current receiver
6) Around $1000 or less.


So far I have a large list of candidates but would welcome suggestions:
- Ascend Sierra-1
- Aperion 633-T
- Axiom M60 v2

Also considering speakers from RBH and KEF. I like Def Tech, Mirage, and Paradigm, but all their speakers in my price range are of the "black monolithic" variety.

I'm also not completely averse to buying used speakers, so if there are better speakers I can find for this price on Audiogon I'd be willing to take suggestions there too.

Two speakers I like in that price range are:
Paradigm Studio Monitor 20
Focal Chorus 807V

If you don't like the black monolithic variety of speakers, what about getting them in the Rosenut finish?

Wow, those Focals are beautiful, especially in the Moka finish. Are there any internet retailers that sell them?

Audio Insider
HiVi D2.1SE
The Audio Insider

SVS
MBS-01 - Bookshelf
SVSound - MTS Family of Speakers

I love big black speakers.

Those SVS MBS-01s look quite nice.

Check out the VMPS 626 Jr. stand mounted speakers, the designer and builder of these excellent speakers has a sale on them now at $975 a pair to celebrate 30 years of making speakers. VMPS, in case you hadn't heard of this brand, makes some of the highest quality speakers around, and yet still keeps the prices very reasonable, the performance you get for the money is superb. Check out the first link below to see more about these speakers. You can read many reviews on these speakers from owners of them at the second link below.

VMPS :: Ribbon speakers & subwoofers

VMPS Audio Products

I don't know, and the dealer locator link on the Focal website does not seem to be working. You could contact the head office to see if there are any dealers near you, or just ask all the nearby audio stores if they carry Focal speakers. Focal is an affiliate of JM Labs.

Steve, what kind of speakers did you end up getting? Or are you still trying to decide?