It really came down to my sonic preferences - realism, sound staging and imaging, detail without being etched or bright. That being said, here is what i thought about the ones I listed previously (and please - no flame wars anyone, all loudspeakers have a sonic signature that some prefer and others don't; the following are just my opinions based on my listening preferences.......)
Avalon Compas - great sound staging and imaging, but images felt etched and not natural or continuous with the soundstage and recreation of realism; dynamics still a bit lacking as with many Avalon loudspeakers
Wilson Alexia - great build quality; dynamics and bass slam; didn't sound like real instruments and natural to me, bordered on the bright side of things
Magico S5, Q3 and Q5 - more great build quality, but very uninvolving to me; almost 2D sounding and poor micro dynamics; unnatural
Avantgarde Duos - huge soundstage, but 2D; very dynamic, but could point- source horns and didn't involve me
The Silver medalists are as follows:
Vandersteen 7 - incredible soundstage by this unassuming cabinet size, images very dense and solid; bass bloated however but very extended; I have heard very difficult to set up, but for an average to smaller room, these would be hard to beat
Lancshe 5.1 - incredible top end with the ion tweeter; best top end I have ever heard, very natural sound and detailed, very detailed basis, great sound staging; ion tweeters estimated to last 5,000 hours and then $7.5K to replace
If I didn't own the Rockports, the Vandersteens or Lancshes would be the loudspeakers next in line.