Speakers costing range of 2500-3500 per pair

I second "baranyi"... I sold a pair of expensive speakers and got those few months ago.  Read the review of Tecton Double Impact in current Stereotimes.com

You can build the Linkwitz LX521 for about $2800 in drivers, active crossover and pre-cut cabinet parts.  You'd have a loudspeaker that nobody here would even come close to surpassing, at ANY price.

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/LX521/LX521_4.htm

Oh... Clearly not in the USA, are you?

For $2k, I can heartily recommend the Silverline Minuet Grand. Easy to drive, dynamic, superbly coherent and naturally dense midrange. If you don't have a quality sub already, money saved could be applied there, or save up to upgrade amplification. I'll have a review coming out on my site soon. http://taww.co

I have to say that I too like the Vandersteen 2's with an integrated.  I have heard them driven by NAD or Emotive or Rotel or Yamaha's and they always deliver.  They will sound better and better with much more expensive gear adn to me, that's the sign of a great speaker.  If you really want to have a speaker with great tonality, extension, able to move some air in teh room and not fatiguing, you owe it to yourself to bring your amp into a Vandy dealer and listen to your own music.  

There is a reason it's been around since 78 and it's only gotten better and better.  Still as good a value as there is in audio IMHO.