I recommend going with the M60ti. The 10' distance won't be a problem with either set of speakers. I have very similar room dimensions, also opening up to a kitchen to the rear (not to mention other rooms to the side). I originally ordered the M22ti, which I compared side-by-side to the Athena AS-F2 floor-standers ($600/pr.). I used both with a 10" active sub with a 250-watt amplifier. My receiver is a Denon 3803. With the M22ti, I tried crossovers at 60 and 80 Hz. I used a 40-50 Hz crossover with the Athenas, which have dual 8" woofers. I was very impressed with the M22ti. It was the clear winner vs. the Athenas in imaging, sound staging, and in performance from the midrange and up. However, I ended up preferring the overall sound of the Athenas because of the superior bass performance. After hearing both sets of speakers, I wanted the best of both worlds. After talking to Joe and Brent at Axiom, I decided to order the M60ti. I've only spent a couple of hours listening to them, but so far I'm very impressed. They perform like the M22ti but with much more bass. Given your room dimensions, apparent preference for floor standers, and apparent willingness to pay the price difference, I don't think you can go wrong with the M60ti.
