I think you have answered your own question. Surely it must be the "Realistic" brand sold locally by Radio Shack. If it wasn't truly realistic, couldn't they be sued for false advertising?
Ok seriously. As other have alluded to, I think you have to look at the system as a whole expendature and plan. You didn't mention what the rest of your gear consists of.
Since you can't afford to make costly mistakes and swap out gear as many of us do, I think you need to really take a good long time and educate yourself as to what is out there, and what type of sound you like, are looking for, and is appropriate for the space you have and your musical tastes.
Sure planars can be rewarding, but they should be far out into the room. Can you accept large room dividers?
Maybe your looking for a truly full range speaker, so bass performance will be a key factor in your choice. Maybe you listen to chamber music or small acoustic ensambles, so you value midrange purity at the expense of extension. You should also become familair with tube vs. solid state sound and convenience, as this might alter your choice. Maybe you are an imaging fan, or want something very liquid and organic sounding, forgoing ultimate detail.
Bottom line is listen to as many speakers as you possibly can. Determine what your tastes are (surely there is no perfect wine - people have diffferent palates) and educate your ear at the same time.
After a few months you'll know yourself what kind of sound and what type of speaker you are looking for. You'll have a favorite 2 or 3, then you can research what people have written about them, and perhaps read about other brands that people have commented about in the same post. Then you'll try and listen to those. If you take the time to research all of this, you may very well find your dream speaker/system that you will be confident was the right choice for you, and one you can be happy with for a very long time.
Ok seriously. As other have alluded to, I think you have to look at the system as a whole expendature and plan. You didn't mention what the rest of your gear consists of.
Since you can't afford to make costly mistakes and swap out gear as many of us do, I think you need to really take a good long time and educate yourself as to what is out there, and what type of sound you like, are looking for, and is appropriate for the space you have and your musical tastes.
Sure planars can be rewarding, but they should be far out into the room. Can you accept large room dividers?
Maybe your looking for a truly full range speaker, so bass performance will be a key factor in your choice. Maybe you listen to chamber music or small acoustic ensambles, so you value midrange purity at the expense of extension. You should also become familair with tube vs. solid state sound and convenience, as this might alter your choice. Maybe you are an imaging fan, or want something very liquid and organic sounding, forgoing ultimate detail.
Bottom line is listen to as many speakers as you possibly can. Determine what your tastes are (surely there is no perfect wine - people have diffferent palates) and educate your ear at the same time.
After a few months you'll know yourself what kind of sound and what type of speaker you are looking for. You'll have a favorite 2 or 3, then you can research what people have written about them, and perhaps read about other brands that people have commented about in the same post. Then you'll try and listen to those. If you take the time to research all of this, you may very well find your dream speaker/system that you will be confident was the right choice for you, and one you can be happy with for a very long time.