You sound like a prospective M80 owner to me.
The M80s go pretty deep into the bass but you may find you still want a subwoofer, not sure. Modern small drivers can't move as much air as a 15" woofer but they sure do sound cleaner and they do give you a surprising amount of bass.
I second the suggestion to just get mains, see how you like them, and ship them back if you don't like them. If you find that you have to crank the bass adjust way up to get the sound you want then you would definitely be better off with a good subwoofer and could then probably get away with smaller speakers.
The recommendation of M50s and a good sub might be a good one, come to think of it... and of course Dennis (Tharkun) has proven that M80s and a good sub (well, TWO good subs) is awesome
You could also email Amie (amie at axiom dot com, I think) and ask if she knows anyone nearby who would be willing to let you listen to their Axioms.
For anyone wondering, here is a map of Newfoundland (the island part) and Labrador (the mainland part) :
