Best in depth of soundstaging and ease for 2k?

Hi,
Audes Blues would also be worth your time to listen to.

ProAc Response 2s is a very good "classical music" speaker and pretty easy to drive. As Subaruguru said, proper set up is too important to overemphasize. The ProAcs sold for $3,500.00 new, you should be able to get them for about 1/2 used. Still will need stands, though. There are other ProAc models, 125 being one, that are floor standers and quite good speakers.

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.

Sehring 700 series (700 monitor, or 702 floorstander)

One caveat, I am a dealer but I feel strongly that I should post on this question. I believe that the new Sehring speakers, handcrafted and designed in Germany, would absolutely fit your desires.

They are the most liquid midrange of any speaker I have heard, the BEST tweeter (extended, wide and not sharp at all, very very lifelike), imaging is the best I have heard, depth of stage is the best, width is the best. All in all, hard to make these claims but they are my favorite speaker.

The 700 monitor is perfect, but is lacking a little in the deepest octaves. The 702 adds the deepest octaves and provides an almost spiritual experience when listening to orchestras.

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.