Monitor speaker that will stop the Quest?

After I posted my response. I gave it some more thought and since Nyctc7 mentioned the Krells I will mention a speaker that I though about yesterday. It's the speaker I think would end the quest if you were on a budget. It's the Polk LSi9. Uses the same tweeter as the above Krell and is a darn fine speaker. I had them for a bit when I had my TSMs and I have to say they were not shamed by the Merlin's. The Merlin's were more better, but the Polk's are all people that are not totally sick like us need. I could live with them and be happy.

Will they end MY quest? No, but they will end many peoples. At $500 used they are IMHO were diminishing returns set in.

As far as Monitors go, I dont see myself leaving the harbeth line.

What is a monitor speaker? How are we defining it? Another wrod for bookshelf, or something else?

I would simply say, typically two-way system that requires a pedestal or stand.

Well, then I stand I my belief that the Merlin VSMs are the best monitors ever made, though the "stand" is integrated into the speaker. My second choice would be the Harbeth HL5s which are wonderful indeed, but not quite is resolved and communicative in microdynamics as the Merlins. I can see someone liveing with either one for a long time with a great big smile on their face and not thinking twice about whether or not their speakers are "good" enough IMHO.