In the end, we can't tell you what to buy. The decision is too personal to the listener but we can give you a good set of speakers to consider.

The Kef Q900 would be at the top of the list. It will deliver down to 32hz so you will get very good bass performance. I personally don't love this speaker as I dislike its aesthetics and I don't love KEFs sound. Yet, lots of people love it and this is a Stereophile recommended component and is a steal in its price segment.

The PSB Imagine X2T is an awesome speaker despite being a hair below your budget at $1300 a pair. I love PSB speakers and think this one is an exceptional value as most PSB speakers are. Great detail and almost perfectly neutral.

The Cambridge Audio Aeromax is an interesting speaker at $1400. It gets great reviews but is supposed to be a hair laid back. I haven't heard it, but another poster here was seriously considering it.

The Monitor Audio Silver 6 at $1500 a pair are awesome speakers. The Silver 8 is even better but will be a touch over your budget, even as an open box from Crutchfield at $1800 a pair or $2000 brand new. I love these speakers as well. I think they lack a hair in detail vs. PSBs which can be good or bad depending on your perspective.

The Polk Audio RTi A9 is a very highly regarded speaker at $1500. This is the one speaker in the RTi line I actually like as I believe it delivers rich, full sound.

The B&W 683 S2 is in this price point. You should probably listen too it but I will say I hate this speaker and would take any speaker mentioned above over it and a bunch of other less expensive speakers as well. Lots of people like them though so I mention them.

The Focal Chorus 826v is a nice speaker but really needs to be paired with a subwoofer as do all of the Focals in this price range.

Bookshelf speakers all suffer the same problem as the Focals. You just won't get the bass performance you would want without a sub. $600 for a subwoofer like an NHT B-10d, $200 for stands leaves your $900 for speakers and I don't believe any bookshelf speaker for $900 paired with a subwoofer is going to outperform the Kef, PSB or Monitor Audio speakers mentioned above. To me bookshelf speakers and a subwoofer begin being a good value at the level above this - Kef R, Monitor Audio Gold, Revel, B&W CM line. The subwoofer and stand price stays roughly the same while the cost of matching floorstanding speakers increases rather dramatically.

All Bierfeldt's recommendations are solid.

I'll echo his assessment of the PSB's. They're not the sexiest brand, but they make a very fine loudspeaker for the money.

A few other suggestions:
* If you can stretch your budget, consider Vandersteen. Their 1Ci is only $1300; the 2Ce is $2560 http://vandersteen.com/categories/floorstanding-loudspeakers Some manufacturers are constantly changing everything. Vandersteen is constantly refining.

* I recently heard a pair of floorstanding speakers from Rega that really impressed me. They were about $1500 and I found them really well-balanced - definitely punched above their weight class. http://www.rega.co.uk/rs3.html

* I'd strongly suggest auditioning speakers in person with your amp. With most stores, if you make an appointment you can bring your amp in to test out the synergy. And many stores will let you take the speakers home for the day (usually Saturday closing to Monday opening) to test them out in your room. I know your Rogue is new so if you haven't had a chance to break it in, ask a friend if you can borrow some speakers (or offer to let a friend borrow the amp) so it has a chance to settle in.

* All of the speakers in this thread are good speakers. So don't worry that you can try ALL of them. Audition what you can and pick your favorite.

* If you don't care too much about auditioning, you can always pick up used speakers on Audiogon, Ebay or Craigslist. All of these brands are solid companies - the rest is down to taste and synergy with your amp.

I would suggest either the Monitor Audio Silver 6 or the KEF Q700.

The Q900 is outside your price range and is really huge and black and ugly. The aesthetics will not please the fair sex, if that is an issue.

The Monitor Audio speakers are very nice-looking and sound wonderful. See the recent Stereophile review on them.

I am a huge Vandersteen fan (have had them for 30 years), but I can't recommend the Model 1; it is a pretty small speaker with absolutely zero bass.

You would want to go with the Vandersteen Model 2, which is around $2500 or the Model 3, which is $4500.

I have the Vandersteen Treos, which give sound to die for, but they are $7000 now.

The PSB X2T is the correct model, not X26.

Also, I think it is the B & W 683 (not VW682).(around $800 ea at Best Buy).

I would not recommend the Polk speakers; they are not quite as good as the others.

I suggest that you consider getting speakers from Audio Advisor, because you can try them for up to 30 days and return them for a full refund.

Listening in stores in worthless, because the acoustics and associated equipment are never the same as at your home. Nothing sounds the same at a store; not even close.

Save yourself a lot of grief and money and listen at home with the option to return after you have heard them for a couple of weeks.

Two other speakers worth a demo are the Infinity Reference R263s which are currently $1000 a pair. Hometheatrereview did a very complete review of them and the critique was they needed a sub with certain types of music. The mid range and highs are said to be extraordinary and in line or better than the speakers above. Add in and NHT B-10d for $599 and you would have better bass response than any of the speakers mentioned above.

The other I would try and listen to is the Golden Ear Triton 7. Read the reviews. It is generally considered a pretty special speaker and I think it is $1399.

i have kept my KEF LS50 even though i bought $6k Totem Element Fires. that's how good the LS50 are - i still put them on for a weekend every month. and i may yet sell the Element Fires...

For turntables buy the Pro-Ject 5.1SE comes with a Sumiko Blue Point #2. Total cost a grand. It may be a little more than you want but you will not outgrow it. They are basically giving you a $500 cartridge. Rega also makes an OK table

Lots of good speakers at your budget--B&W, Focal, Revel and KEF. Stay away from PSB. Canadian/Chinese crap. As bad as Bose

THat will be $50 for the advice

The Rogue Audio Sphinx *Should* be able to handle the Magnepan MMG Super at $1200; including the bass panel.

OR...B&W CM5 S2, at $1500. Vastly superior to their 600 series to my ears; but you would need to either use very temporary stands until you saved money or extend budget slightly for stands. You may be able to substitute a tower model in that Bowers & Wilkins line within your budget; however, I have not personally owned or auditioned their tower speakers but do have extensive experience with the 686 series and CM5 S1 & S2.

For what it's worth, the Monitor Audio Silver 6 and 8 speakers came to my attention spec and cost-wise to echo previous posts, but i've never had the pleasure to audition them. But they made my list.

However, if it was *my* money, and I was buying this week, I would order the Megnepan's, hands down the best bang for the buck. Had I known these existed before I ordered my speakers, I would've tried them. The Manufacturer also gives you 60 days to try them. As it is, they are definitely the next speakers I am buying if and when I acquire the budget.