I need to be wowed

Nice place! Cute cats. Sundae way cuter, even with eyes closed and fancy furs. And china cabinet, very cool. For fuller, classical music sound Dunlavys are perfect. In your price range, if you push a little you could get pre-owned IV's. They might be too big for your place and decor. I would go with II or III's . I have V and II's and the II performs very close to IV's except with much lower extension. II OR III will be perfect for that tall wall, being slim and tall. And the sound much fuller in all 4D. Yes it will give you the height perspective too. Although I do like Vany 2Ci suggestions (better value), but still not as good as Dunlavy where it counts-mid range.

Agreed, Vandersteens will work great for you. I've owned several pairs and am currently using 3A Signatures. Love Them in every way.

You have a big space to fill with sound, and listen from a good distance away. A BBC-type monitor may have the nominal tonal balance you are after, but is made to be listened to in more of a near-field situation, so it could sound boring in your room. I agree about the sound of the Vienna Acoustics line, but a model large enough for you would exceed the budget, and I've only ever seen them in the natural beech finish. I think the Vandersteen (model 3a) and B&W (model 802 matrix) recommendations are good bets (the B&W is better) if you can find a late edition at your price point. Other suggestions: PSB Stratus Gold i, NHT 3.3, Snell B, KEF 105, and maybe Mirage M-2 if the front wall proximity is no less than two feet (these bipolar speakers are shallow in depth). As a Thiel CS2 2 owner, I will also add that I do not consider these speakers bright unless one listens at too close a distance (the first order X-over's mandate at least 10 feet for proper integration, true for the Vandy's and Dunlavy's as well), and I think they have a more accurate timbral response than a lot of "dark" sounding alternatives, but need high-quality partnering equipment. To me, they are outstanding for acoustic music.

At your budget level my suggestions will not get it - I would look to a rather tall setup because of those ceilings - The Martin Logan SL3 would fill that room quite nicely and are for sale in your price range.

I see references to a budget, but I must be overlooking what the stated budget is. Two reasonably prices possibilities would be the Revel Performa F30 (not absolutely sure of the model, retail price is $3500). It has received excellent reviews all over the place and would appear to get you a great deal of the Revel performance without paying for the exotic cabinetry. I don't have personal experience with them. 4th order x-over to increase the sweet spot of the listening room.

Second suggestion would be the Dynaudio Contour 1.8 Mk II's. List is also in the 3's, but you regularly see them used for <$2K. They would be the best Dynaudio to drive with 100 w/c. My musical tastes don't run the same as yours, but a friend of mine has this exact setup - the 1.8's driven by 100 w/c (Arcam amplification) and listens primarily to classical music. Sounds awesome. -Kirk