Transmission (cassette/crankset) considerations for 1st road bike purchase
First, about the big steps between gears: you should really go on a test ride to see how you like shifting on a bike with such big steps between gears. For some people it's not a big deal, for others, it's a major annoyance. I don't think anyone else can make that kind of qualitative decision for you.

Using Sheldon Brown's Gear Calculator, I calculated some approximate ratios for the gears you use most commonly. I don't have the exact wheelbase or BCD for your bike, but here are the approximate ratios for the gears you mentioned using most often:

48 / 14: 6.9

38 / 26: 2.9

38 / 34: 2.3

There's some decent range that you use there. FWIW, my 1970's Motobecane Nomade with a 52/40 crankset and a 14x28 rear cluster covers a range down from 7.5 down to 2.8. That's good for your average commute, but leaves you without the bailout gear for when you have a really tough climb. It's back to the problem you originally stated -- it's all about whether you want the bailout gears or not. From a purely functional standpoint, however, the compact crank is not a bad idea. 

If you're really interested in getting a bike with the gearing range that you have one your current touring model, you should run the numbers through the aforementioned gear calculator. Note that the calculator also shows the percentage increase/decrease between gears (as stated earlier, lower % increase typically makes for a smoother riding experience).