Best in depth of soundstaging and ease for 2k?

Thanks for the responses guys. This is all stuff I hadn't considered. I realize it might be helpful to tell you all what I've already found...

I've looked at the JM Lab Cobalt 826-S and Electra 906, the Joseph Audio Rm7si signature MkII, and the Joseph Audio Rm22si signature MkII. I found the Cobalts to be a little tinny for my taste, especially on the high end. I liked the electras much more, but heard them in a really bad room. I'll be hearing the Electra 926's tomorrow, which should be great, but they're realy stretching my price range. The Joseph Audio sounded really good, very warm (I actually liked the monitors more than the floorstanders), but there's not available used as far as I can tell. I'd also prefer something with a bit more presence, and try to add warmth with the components.

Thanks.

To Boa2,

Thank you so much for your advice, I really appreciate it (same goes for everyone else). I see that there's someone selling the Silverline Sonata II's for about $1700. It seems like that might be a better way to go than the SR-17s (no one has a pair for sale at the moment anyway).

What's a SET amp? Is that a category, or a specific brand? Sorry for the ignorance, this is my first serious hi fi purchase. Also, I'm interested in the Wright monoblocks you mentioned; I had no idea that any speaker could be driven with so little power... Obviously there's something I'm not understanding here, but how can 5wpc monoblocks cost more than some 150wpc ones? The quality difference can't be THAT drastic. Can it?

Thanks for the contuining advice everyone. Today, I heard the JM Lab Electra 926 and the Silverline Sonatina Mk II from a dealer in San Francisco. I liked the JM Lab, but I LOVED the Silverline. It's not as fast, accurate, or detailed as the JM Lab, but it's twice as musical. The sound is sweet, the soundstage is huge, the imaging accurate, and you can really hear how each performer intended to phrase whatever it is that he's playing. The Silverline didn't have as much ease in the sound as I would have liked- there could have been more space in the sound, a bit more air. But for what I value in music, they are pretty close to perfect.

Do you know of anywhere I might be able to hear a pair of the Sehrings? I'm very intrigued, but I need to hear them before making any decisions. I'm in the San Francisco area.