Jason, welcome. There would probably be different opinions expressed depending on whether your $1,000 budget is spent on mains alone or with surrounds included. My suggestion is that for about $900 from the Axiom factory outlet that you consider M22 mains plus QS8 side surrounds, which should give you more listening enjoyment than spending the entire amount on the mains alone. If you'll have a good sub the combination with M22s would give excellent full-range sound and in my view tower speakers aren't necessary in that size room(if preferred however, the $900 also could be used for M60 mains alone). Although my M22s are used in a somewhat smaller room now, I've briefly run them in a room similar to yours in size with fine results overall, including plenty of sound level capability.
The speakers from the outlet carry a 10% discount, and are brand-new, but have a "cosmetic defect" which most of us have had difficulty in even seeing. All the Axioms are available in black with black grills.
