Very small room systems and synergy

My room is the same size and have been into this since 2003. I agree maybe a larger 8" two way might be better in regards to frequency response. High efficiency with a tube amp would be even better. I've owned alot of more expensive speakers, but right now I'm having great results the Paradigm Atom v3 (bought used locally for $20.00). These are paired with a $100.00 appj 2013 tube amp and Sangean hdt20. This is the best "complete" system I've had in this small room. I think the source and tubes made the most difference, but the small speakers open up at low volumes and are forgiving in the right way.

I forgot to mention that I've read some prefer omni directional speakers like the Ohm Walsh Tall in small rooms. This has something to do with the indirect sound can use the room to better than conventional speakers. I've never heard these though and they seem kind of pricey for what you get. I honestly think you are hearing an "unbalanced" sound. Rather than metal dome irritating you more than likely the sound is just unbalanced in some ways and the highs are what you notice.

I have ls50s ( with sub) in one smaller room and larger (12") Ohm Walsh in the adjacent larger room running off same setup including Bel Canto ref1000m Class D amps and Audio Research tube pre-amp.

Love them both but big difference in sound. The tweets are no doubt quite different. Ohms are soft dome warmer and more laid back. Ls50s have very Crisp yet clean dynamic attack . Both are very coherent which matters a lot for me and sound of each is dimensional in their own way. Room layouts are way different.

Upstairs I have smaller 8" Walsh speakers with Bel Canto c5i digital integrated in family room open to adjacent kitchen, another good sized room. This system is the most easy on the ears of all.

I have a pair of powered Vanatoo Transparent 1 encores coming this week for my wife’s sunroom. Heard these at shows and was very impressed. Looking forward to hearing them on my turf.

Like Totem Arrow, micro Walsh does bass very well for its size. They are smaller than either of my Walsh speakers with drivers about the size of a CD . Prices have gone up in recent years but the one thing Ohms will do that most others cannot is the huge sweet spot, pretty much anywhere in the room.

Sound is like ice cream....many tasty flavors.

I’d say sell the ls50’s and buy something else.  

I have had the same problem and ended up using active monitors (Genelec Ones) for a couple of years.

There was simply no high end proposition on the market to give me the sound quality without the overkill power.

Recently, when I heard that Wilson Audio were finally releasing something small, I knew this could be the ticket. Had the Duettes before but they were too big, both physically and SPL-wise, for my room.

The TuneTots are the ticket. I know there are a lot of haters. I know people mock their value proposition and I am not going to go there. I acknowledge and respect their point of view.

But the Tots deliver the goods in my small room, better that anything else I have tried before and I have had many speakers, small and large.

They are very limited in what they can do, agreed, but what they deliver is a mature, high end, refined sound that will not require a pile of foam on walls, Dirac and all that other modern voodoo (I really don't like Dirac. Let me say this again: I really don't like Dirac for stereo reproduction!)

I know they are way over budget but for me the quest is over. Connected to a Pass Int-250 they sing like no other in my small, challenged space.

To return to your budget, Genelec Ones have worked reasonably well for me. They are the LS50 Wireless with less box coloration, no annoying metallic tweeter (I demoed it for exactly three days hoping that that tweeter would "burn in" but it didn't so I sent them back), a better frequency response (they are three way speakers) and quite a smooth sound. Probably 8341 would do slightly better than the 8331.

Still over your budget but you can probably try the SH market.