Dave put it perfectly. And Bobby, well, his words are nothing but golden if you ask me. Did anyone ask me?
To my ear, the Merlins are more refined sounding than the Tylers, with a masterful presentation of the music. However, they will not fill your room as well.
Some other options in your price range:
Silverline Sonata II (used about $2600), and they use the SEAS drivers like the Tylers
Von Schweikert VR4 GenIII SE (used about $3800). They go real low, have an adjustable tweeter, and are phenomenal speakers.
Best of luck.