Best speakers under $500? Fire away!

I can give a personal example the McIntosh integrated amp MA6700 has a power output of 200W ,my McIntosh MC152 power amp has only 150W theoretically my power amp should be less powerful than the MA6700 but it’s not !
I heard them both my amp is much powerful,transparent and detailed than the MA6700 ,That’s show you the published numbers are not always accurate or measured the same way...

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/full-range-thiel-audio-cs3-5-floor-standing-speakers-2017-03-09-sp...
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 Under $ 500 MA Bronze 2 is one of the best of the best with sensitivity 90 db / impedance 8ohm making it very efficient and easy to drive, speaker of the year on What Hi Fi .

http://www.whathifi.com/monitor-audio/bronze-2/review

itzhak1969... that is the one I am leaning towards right now.  Seems to fit my system best and the reviews are great.  

Great thread, as I was in a similar dilemna. If you live in a larger market, then going used has greater reward. Most audiophiles snub Klipsch, but I recently acquired some RF 3 floorstanders and have been impressed. These are a bit older so the market has plummeted. <$400. [Review: TNT audio]. Great "boogie factor" for classic rock, no need for stands or a sub: full range. If you must go new, Primus 36x floorstander is a good choice with solid reviews. Others might argue for a bookshelf, but again, those require stands, and depending upon model , often a sub. Listening tastes will also dictate your choice.