I dont envy you trying to buy a speaker that ticks all boxes. Super tough! The only speaker I have met that was close for me out of the box was way too expensive. (Focal Sopra)
This really is the tough part because unlike Axiom, most places that sell real quality speakers don't take returns. I love Axiom for their policy. It makes it a no brainer to give their products an in-home trial. Otherwise you have three options:
1) go into a boutique store and hear their speakers in a different room, no A/B comparison, trying to best guess a sound character you seek
2) see if the boutique store is willing to allow you to setup an A/B comparison if you brought your speakers to them
3) buy used blind, try speakers, don't like, resell used
The third option is one that a friend of mine does fairly regularly and over the years has found speakers he really loves. It takes a lot of trials and unfortunately you lose money along the way (shipping costs, over the border taxes potentially or duties or just depreciation).
I actually am looking at a few other brands at the moment including Focal (Aria), Revel (F series) and maybe still Monitor Audio (Platinum series). The MAs i might be able to hear locally (the Golds at least if not the Platinums). The others, well, unless some boutique shop has some trade-ins, could end up being Option 3; buy used and test.
