"Music" speakers different than "Video" speakers?

Keith,
I think it's good that you are auditioning speakers before you purchase them.  However, I wouldn't expect too much from a national electronics chain.  First, many retailers will be unqualified, and will not have the proper background to know how to set up a system, provide the proper spacing, toe-in etc, for imaging, selecting matching components, etc. - in essence, all those things to provide that sound that gives us goose bumps because it seems so real.  One place that would help, would be to go to cedia.org to find a custom home installer.  Another option would be to go to an established 2-channel audio specialty shop that also does home theater.
As far as speakers go, many companies use the same drivers, cross-overs, designs etc for both home theater and 2-channel audio.  I don't think the limitation is in the components or loudspeakers.   In other words, a properly setup 5.1 system should be just as exciting as a 2-channel system, of if you will, listening to audio only should be just as engaging as watching a movie.
As far as sound goes, two things: First, once you find the speakers you like, you can pretty much equalize them to your space to get rid of that sizzle and boominess.  In other words trying as much as possible to obtain a flat frequency response in your room.  Then you can either keep this setting for both audio listening and home theater viewing, or have (2) equalization presets, one for each.  No right or wrong here.
The tough part will be if you really want a 2 channel audio only system or a surround sound system.  The spacing of the front speakers of the 5.1 puts the right/left further out, then a 2 channel system because the 2-channel doesn't employ a center channel speaker.   At least I haven't come a set-up in a home where I heard a system that was at it's best doing both.  The cool thing about 5.1, is that you get to explore the world of SACD's.  It's almost always inpractical for a home owner who loves audio AND home theaters to have the best of both worlds.
This feedback may be more than you asked for, but it almost always seems to go down this road.  So in the end, my advice in this situation would be to do a 5.1 system, properly set up and equalized, get a SACD player, and when you really want to listen to audio only get a killer pair of head phones.  With the headphones you won't have to change your room configuration, you can sit or lie down anywhere, and be totally immersed in the music.
 CJ

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"The spacing of the front speakers of the 5.1 puts the right/left further out, then a 2 channel system because the 2-channel doesn't employ a center channel speaker.   At least I haven't come a set-up in a home where I heard a system that was at it's best doing both."

I disagree. Both of my systems - one with Dunlavy SC VI fronts and a Dunlavy SC-IV center and the other with a Genesis 6.1 fronts and Genesis 6.1C center are spaced so that I can listen in either stereo or surround with no issues. There is absolutely no need to position a 3 channel front any different than a stereo.

If a speaker does music correctly it will also do soundtracks and dialog correctly as well. An accurate speaker will remain accurate regardless of the program material it is asked to reproduce.

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