It sounds like you are well on your way to making a quality speaker choice. The Vandersteen 2CE Signature is an excellent speaker as are the B&W's that you have mentioned. The Magnepans are wonderful, but may require more power to work well. As others have already mentioned the Magnepans need to be critically placed to get the most out of them.
The Vandersteen 2CE Signature speakers are a very safe choice to make. They sound great, they will work well with your amplification setup, and they are not fussy in terms of placement. They are full range so you can enjoy R&B and Rap without the use of a subwoofer. Richard Vandersteen has produced this speaker in different upgraded forms for over 20 years. Tens of thousands of pairs are out there being listened to as you read this. I have owned them. I would assume that many of those who participate on this site have owned a pair of Vandersteens at one time or another. They are one of the great bargains in High End Audio. They would be my suggestion. I have suggested them to numerous people, even my ex-girlfriend from years ago still has a pair, and they all seem satisfied with the choice.
Good luck in your purchase and welcome to this disease of a hobby. May you be totally satisfied with your purchase and never look at another component again.
The Vandersteen 2CE Signature speakers are a very safe choice to make. They sound great, they will work well with your amplification setup, and they are not fussy in terms of placement. They are full range so you can enjoy R&B and Rap without the use of a subwoofer. Richard Vandersteen has produced this speaker in different upgraded forms for over 20 years. Tens of thousands of pairs are out there being listened to as you read this. I have owned them. I would assume that many of those who participate on this site have owned a pair of Vandersteens at one time or another. They are one of the great bargains in High End Audio. They would be my suggestion. I have suggested them to numerous people, even my ex-girlfriend from years ago still has a pair, and they all seem satisfied with the choice.
Good luck in your purchase and welcome to this disease of a hobby. May you be totally satisfied with your purchase and never look at another component again.