I have had the same problem and ended up using active monitors (Genelec Ones) for a couple of years.
There was simply no high end proposition on the market to give me the sound quality without the overkill power.
Recently, when I heard that Wilson Audio were finally releasing something small, I knew this could be the ticket. Had the Duettes before but they were too big, both physically and SPL-wise, for my room.
The TuneTots are the ticket. I know there are a lot of haters. I know people mock their value proposition and I am not going to go there. I acknowledge and respect their point of view.
But the Tots deliver the goods in my small room, better that anything else I have tried before and I have had many speakers, small and large.
They are very limited in what they can do, agreed, but what they deliver is a mature, high end, refined sound that will not require a pile of foam on walls, Dirac and all that other modern voodoo (I really don't like Dirac. Let me say this again: I really don't like Dirac for stereo reproduction!)
I know they are way over budget but for me the quest is over. Connected to a Pass Int-250 they sing like no other in my small, challenged space.
To return to your budget, Genelec Ones have worked reasonably well for me. They are the LS50 Wireless with less box coloration, no annoying metallic tweeter (I demoed it for exactly three days hoping that that tweeter would "burn in" but it didn't so I sent them back), a better frequency response (they are three way speakers) and quite a smooth sound. Probably 8341 would do slightly better than the 8331.
Still over your budget but you can probably try the SH market.
There was simply no high end proposition on the market to give me the sound quality without the overkill power.
Recently, when I heard that Wilson Audio were finally releasing something small, I knew this could be the ticket. Had the Duettes before but they were too big, both physically and SPL-wise, for my room.
The TuneTots are the ticket. I know there are a lot of haters. I know people mock their value proposition and I am not going to go there. I acknowledge and respect their point of view.
But the Tots deliver the goods in my small room, better that anything else I have tried before and I have had many speakers, small and large.
They are very limited in what they can do, agreed, but what they deliver is a mature, high end, refined sound that will not require a pile of foam on walls, Dirac and all that other modern voodoo (I really don't like Dirac. Let me say this again: I really don't like Dirac for stereo reproduction!)
I know they are way over budget but for me the quest is over. Connected to a Pass Int-250 they sing like no other in my small, challenged space.
To return to your budget, Genelec Ones have worked reasonably well for me. They are the LS50 Wireless with less box coloration, no annoying metallic tweeter (I demoed it for exactly three days hoping that that tweeter would "burn in" but it didn't so I sent them back), a better frequency response (they are three way speakers) and quite a smooth sound. Probably 8341 would do slightly better than the 8331.
Still over your budget but you can probably try the SH market.