Bookshelf speakers under $1000

For under $1200, if youhave a subwoofer the Monitor Audio 
Studio has top drivers from the Top platinum line and a Very good AMT tweeter. I bought them with the matching stand and filled them with dryer play sand and agraphite lead shot.snd sound st least as good as speakers double their cost. Upgraded the Xover and rewired them with a Clarity, the great Duelund Silver foil Bypass caps ,Plus Jupiter and VH Audio- Cu Bypass caps 
and VH Audio great Litz-OCC - Copper ThinTeflon Wire  ,made 
speaker cables with the larger version and easilly best several 
$2k plus very good brand name cables ,just time consuming to build but well worth it .judt to point out if you,or a friend is skilled 
you can save $1,000s in markup and exactly to your liking.
since drivers were excellent to start with the Monitor Studio now will easily compete with any $5k+speaker with ease.

Elac UB5
Elac debut B6.2

Revel M106. Great little speaker

Ascend Sierra 2's are on sale right now for $1230 (usually $1448)

Hi mlenow,
I had the opportunity, last year, to compare multiple Dynaudio speakers. Xeo2, Xeo4, X14A, and Focus 110. 

The Xeo4 was very good but the hub squeezes the digital down to 16/44 before it sends it to the speakers. What's the use of Hi Rez then. The X14A was equally as good with option to change preamp and source. 
Ultimately the Focus 110 were much better all around.
It's tough, the money savings from having active speakers, Cables and Components, allows you to afford higher quality source. 
I finally settled on the Xeo2. The quality of sound is excellent. Including very nice bass response from a small 5" two way and digital optical input allows playing of Hi Rez. 

However, I would not generally recommend dynaudio with Denon. Depending on the model. Some Denon are breathtaking and some are meh. 
A more neutral speaker will reveal stuff you wish they didn't. I had a pair of the Boston Acoustics VS 260 recently. Absolutely amazing speakers. So open. So neutral. Unless the rest of your system is up to the task, you would swear they sound like crap. 

As for other bookshelf speakers. My recommendations would be ...

Epos Epic 2 are very good and a little more forgiving. 
Epos, in general, are an excellent value/quality. I would not recommend using any in the Creek M series (5, 5i, 12.2, etc) as they are VERY neutral.

Infinity 6Kappa would match up well and be very pleasing with the turntable. Woofer usually need refoamed and be very careful of any Infinity with the opaque dome midranges. $300 a pair to replace them. 

JBL L26 is another great turntable speaker. Woofer frequently need refoamed. If going with an older pair of speakers, I would recommend buying them with deteriorated foam Surrounds. You can get them for less, then pay to have them refoamed by a trustworthy party. To many folks slappin' on foam Surrounds and blowing voice coils down the road. 

If your looking for an active speaker. The Meridian M30 would match up well. Quality Interconnects and power cables for them and they are quite good.