I would go with your 2nd option. Like Wayne said " The second option with the tall mid source - something like a line array - might be a good option."
I use 8 - 6.5" drivers, operating at 100-2.3kHz in a 55" line array for p.a. for mids, the drivrs are Dayton's from Parts Express, and they run pretty much flat, what ever room I put them in.
I recommend Jim Griffen's white paper on line array's. Which can also be found on this board.