It's 2008, what speakers deserve recognition.

Wide band horn midrange and ancillary drivers that can keep up with it is the way to go. Emerald Physics is one example of this. Oswald's Mill and Classic Audio Reproductions made strong arguments at RMAF from what I've read. Bert Doppenberg's Oris Horns are another good example. Avant Garde with the help of Jim Smith, brought horn performance to audiophiles who could afford them. Now it is possible with Emerald Physics to approximate horn performance capabilities without the size and cost compromises that real horn systems demand. Many other efforts are being presented world wide.
If you really have a desire to investigate cutting edge speaker efforts, you would be wise to look back in time. It turns out we had it right years ago and somehow allowed the audio press and well-meaning designers of alternative approaches to lead us elsewhere. I'm returning to superior technology and watching for the many ways it is being refined for our times.
Do any of you know about Goto, ALE or Cogent?

My Coincident Total Victory IV's sound fantastic,can only imagine how good the Pure Reference's are.

analysis audio, although perhaps not a "value" speaker, is a ribbon design, which looks like an apogee speaker.

If you have a low power single ended amp, the Sonist concerto 2's get my vote!
I'm running mine with 5 watts and have power to spare!

I LIKE GOOD VINTAGE SPEAKERS LIKE THE SANSUI SP-5500's.....THE SPEAKERS THAT THEY PUT OUT TODAY ARE MOSTLY..."JUNK".!.!.!.!