Advice for killer desktop speakers

I am looking to upgrade my desktop listening experience and could use the advice of the community. Is there anything in the same price range as the Audioengine 5+ that I should consider? The Audioengines seem to be the consensus choice, but am unsure if this is just online hype and inertia. I do not want a subwoofer and I do not have enough desk space to go any bigger than the Audioengine 5. I tried using a pair of Kef Q150 speakers paired with a Dayton Audio APA 150 amp, but the speakers are just too big for my desk.  I think i would prefer to have powered speakers for the simplicity and utilize the Dayton in another room. I  normally listen at moderate volumes and need them to sound good at relatively low levels.  Any suggestions?