Best speaker a wife would tolerate

You have gotten good suggestions, I would also try: Gallo [ http://www.roundsound.com ] , the very beautiful JMlab Utopia series, (the best-looking box speaker) especially check out the micro utopia [ http://www.focal.tm.fr/gb/home/utopia/index.htm ]. Martin Logan [ http://www.martinlogan.com ] a long shot but you never know what will be aesthetically appealing.

Try the Piega's - HelloHiFi stocks some of the line.

My wife's and my choices dovetailed sparingly down to Linn AV5140 (midrange threadbare, but nice in cherry), Nautilus 803 (nice in dark cherry, but really incoherent in the nearfield!), and the Verity Parsifal Encores (which so overwhelmed me that it was no contest!). Never got to compare 802N, Revel, Martin Logan, Aeriel 10, due to aethetic displeasure. The Encores are sometimes described as unobtrusive and sedate, diminutive, etc. 'Tsokay with me, as their visual quietness helped assure a place in my home. We'll never part....