MBL alternatives

the ohm. legendary(certainly not wannabes), and i guess given the prices of mbl...a steal in comparison.

German Physics might be worth a look. Also omni-directional like MBL, although perhaps even more expensive.

Beolab 5 - not my cup of tea but excellent tight bass, lovely wide soundstage and they look awesome.

I dont know what kind of money you have in your budget for speakers, in my view, Vandersteen at any price point sounds like music, and gives great value. Except for the 5A's or perhaps the Quattros, they dont have a good look, but they certainly have a good sound...and thats what you should be buying.

For omni-directional speakers, check out the Model 7 and Model 17 speakers at Morrison Audio. They deliver the musical goods exceptionally well.

http://www.morrisonaudio.com