With a speaker that has a frequency response of 38Hz to 20KHz +-3dB (B&W 683) you may find a sub woofer helpful. If you find one necessary maybe you're listening for and expecting a bass response that is boosted rather than relatively flat.

If you're used to the bass from Cerwin Vegas you may not be happy with speakers that don't have a boosted bass response.

The lowest note on a standard 4 string electric bass is ~41.2Hz

Good point made that a subwoofer for those speakers may be helpful, but not necessary.  Some years ago I became a convert to the value of a supplementary subwoofer, even tho I had full range loudspeakers - it helps.  That's just my opinion.

What type of components are you looking to include in your budget?  Is that amount for just speakers and amp, or is it meant to include turntable, cartridge, disc player, etc also?

There are four sub woofers in my system. I'm an advocate of distributed bass. Multiple sub woofers always sound a lot better than a single one.

It's just that were I doing an initial acquisition and setup of a system a sub woofer (or two) wouldn't be at the top of my list unless I was buying bass shy stand mounted speakers.

Since you have contact with a dealer, a pretty good option is to work with them and let them know you want some time to get it right.  If they're a decent dealer they will want to make you satisfied and will respect your budget.  They may ask you to consider more $ but that's OK, they can do that to anyone regardless of budget.  And if you find something that you like a lot more, for a little more $, then that's useful to know, whether or not you buy.

If you don't like what you are getting from the dealer, and don't want to go to other cities to shop, then stereophile & other reviews are your friend, as are internet dealers and internet direct-to-customer manufacturers.  There's a lot to that so I will not take the time right now to start listing specific components.  A few online dealer sites include MusicDirect, AcousticSounds, AudioAdvisor. 

(Distributed bass - yes, a good thing. I think I get some partial benefit from that, even with a single subwoofer, since I still run my main speakers full-range. Perhaps later can evolve to multi subs)

What you're really hearing is exactly what you're really hearing.

Once you have auditioned various speakers and have some idea what you like and don't like it's time to trust your ears.

Transducers (devices that change one kind of energy to another), ie. speakers and phono cartridges are the least accurate and exhibit the most obvious differences of any part of a system. IMO (not every one's) there are differences in the sound of different amplifiers. However, they are extremely small in comparison to those you'll hear in speakers and to a lesser extent in phono cartridges.

Get speakers you like and are happy with. Then worry about the sound of cartridges. Bear in mind, the cartridge that comes with a given TT is usually fairly well suited for it. This doesn't mean that an upgrade won't be an improvement.

The sound of amplifiers and receivers should be taken up after the transducers. There is a caveat; the phono stage of the amplifier or receiver can make a considerable difference in the sound of a given cartridge. Most of this has to do with proper loading of a cartridge. It's usually not a significant issue because there is a certain amount of standardization in the load requirements of phono cartridges.

A couple of things I've learned...  I started out 33 years ago and bought the better brands mid line (all early HK units which was still hand built then) and used them with a pair of Mirage SM2.5s (their Flagship model then when they were designed and built by the original Canadian company) as my main base for 15 years.  I then upgraded to new (at the time) Rotel separates (RB 980BX amp, mataching preamp with phono (one of last with phono) and CD player of the same vintage in the Mid 90s still driving the Mirage SM 2.5s.  After another 15 years, that amp and 3 more identical used ones off eBay two years ago make the base 7.1 power for the system I still use now.  While I still hard rock to the old Mirage sm2.5s on occation, I bought used Vandersteens 2Ce's for the main LR which for "musical reproduction as close to the original instrument as possible" which is what Vandersteen strives very hard for and markets as.  I relagated the old Mirages to the surround LR or "Memorex Moments" that I will not do to the Vandersteens... I run a RB-980BX in bridged 260 watt mono mode bi-wired for each Vandersteen but do not push them.  The single RB 990BX 200 wpc does them well too.  Oh... and match your sources... mine are all Rotel now with the expetion of the turntable which is early 80s HK.

My Thoughts:

1) as you are doing... research, listen, research, listen, and more research.  It took me 30 years to know what I know... and its not all that much compared to many.  The high end stores will cator to this and when your ready, buy something from them so they stay in business. 

2) as you are doing... look into the lower to mid level of the audiophile brands ...since the highest end of audiophile is more than we paid for the house, the 1 ton, and the kids combined!!!... the lower to mid levels are more in line with what most of us can think very seriously on.

3) Since most audiophile types take steps NOT to abuse their systems, the used market can be a source for well proven designs such as mid 90s Rotel amps and preamps, and other older audiophile brands.

I have had very good luck and am quite happy with the mid 90s Rotel units and the Vandersteens (a pair used 2Ce's and a pair of 1Bs).  Both are on eBay all the time as many of us older audiophylic types are getting old and dieing off... but our equipmnet is still fine.  Also, some are simply those of us upgrading to newer surround sound units and many older excellent pieces simply do not do the latest formats and cableing (HDMI as an example)... but their amps and 2 channel pieces are still mint.  Somthing to think about.  $1500 mid 90s Rotel RB 980BXs for around $250.  Vandersteen $2500 new 2Ces in mint condition used for $700-$800 and work as good as the day they were new.   Most true audiophiles do not beat their equipment like we (and they) did when we/they were young.

Of the higher end units I've bought from eBay I only had to return one due to mis-rep or mis function.  You can tell alot by how the ads are written and I specifically talk to them about their histories.

Now will the new mid level $2500 speakers out perform my $700 ($2500 new) used mint Vandersteens... maybe, but it will be subtle I think (just my opinion as I've never ran em side by side off identical source/systems to see).   At new retail I'm listening to about $10Ks worth... I'm into them for about 3k.

If your interested pm me and I'll fill you in on all the system if your interested.

DEM

i have and like a ProJect Xpression III, but since you found a dealer w/ Vandersteens, try comparing the 2 with the 1.  The 1's are nice but the step up to the 2 (current model is the 2Ce Signature II) will be 50x more & better than the small difference between the debut and xpression.