Last year, I was considering the Vandersteen Treo or the Sonus Faber Olympica Nova III to replace my aging Thiel 2.2 speakers. I've always liked the concept of time coherent speakers (such as those from Vandersteen or Thiel), but I've also been tempted by the fast, transparent sound produced by planar tweeters and midranges. Blended with the right woofers, this option could be the answer to my search for new speakers.
My casual listening to Sonus Fabers and Vandersteens in dealer showrooms didn't impress me enough to give up on my Thiels, so I started reading reviews of speakers with planar-magnetic drivers, such as those from Borresen and PS Audio. I liked the fact that the PS Audio Aspen speakers use planers in both tweeters and mids, while the Borresens use planars only for tweeters; also, the Aspens devote serious attention to bass impact and extension (combining multiple woofers with several passive radiators). Given that I could use trade-in discounts from PS Audio to get the price much lower than the Borresen options, combined with a 30-day in-home trial, I took a chance on the smallest Aspen floorstander, the FR10.
Wow, the FR10s are great speakers! My Thiels are now boxed up in my basement, and the FR10s are providing the most transparent and natural mids/highs I have ever heard in my listening room. Realism and "liveness" are now a routine part of my listening experience, and bass is tight and impactful. My Thiels had a tendency to sound a bit too bright at times, but the FR10s provide transparency and detail without harshness or edginess. Soundstage is wide and deep, and voices and instruments are presented in space in realistic positions with sufficient "air" around them to sound lively and real.
As you continue your search for new speakers, I would encourage you to take a look/listen to the Aspen FR10s. These are great speakers for small to midsize rooms.