BEST SPEAKERS AT A REASONABLE PRICE

soix, I listened to everything at Magnolia and found the ARCAM 505 to be much much better.  You could get a deal at Listen Up in Denver.

@shtinkydog,

Those JBLs look killer for under a grand! They really do get rave reviews. What all have you compared them to? Im half tempted to order up a pair. 

OK, brace yourself.  I wasn't expecting to like them this much.  I have an old pair of Genesis APM-1s that simply weren't doing it for me anymore.  I needed more.   I've had them for over 10 years, having bought them used.  I bought the JBLs strictly on current owners' reviews.  I was blown away.  They have made my Genesis irrelevant.   I'm not just talking out my ass here when I say that I am finally 100% happy with the sound that I have now.  Everything sounds incredible.   Those reviews you have read are not exaggerating one bit.   Worse case scenario, you can return them if you don't like them.  I'm curious to see what you decide and looking forward to reading your impressions should you get them.   

There are a plethora of choices in your price range, to be sure.  If you like Klipsch - real Klipsch - then the Heresy IV https://www.klipsch.com/products/heresy-iv-floorstanding-speaker#product-specs would be your choice, but do yourself a favor and pair them with a tube amp.  I have never heard a Klipsch speaker of any kind (and I've been in to audio for 45 years, including pro audio, and owning a HiFi store back in the day) sound 'right' on even the best solid state gear.  On the other hand, I have heard Cornwalls and an ancient McIntosh MC-240 sound damn near magical.  Going 180 degrees the opposite direction, Magneplanar 1.7i  http://www.magneplanar.com/model_17 will have size and detail nothing else in this price range can touch.  Just make sure you can pull them away from the walls a couple feet, and that your amp is happy at 4 Ohms. Pivoting yet again, it's hard to ignore the pedigree of the KEF R3 https://us.kef.com/speakers/hi-fi-speakers/rseries.html . Think of them as a more forgiving LS-50 with an extra octave of bass or a working man's Reference 1 https://us.kef.com/speakers/hi-fi-speakers/the-reference/reference-1-ultimate-bookshelf-speaker-pair.html .  Or for that matter, buy a pair of LS-50s  https://us.kef.com/catalog/product/view/id/1143/s/ls50-mini-monitor-speaker-pair/category/219/ - $899/pr at KEF direct, and get a genuine no-holds-barred Class A speaker and spend the change on a subwoofer.  And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Goldenear https://www.goldenear.com/products/triton-series Triton 3 (powered woofer) and Triton 5 (all-passive). So, there are my Top 5 (well 7, counting options) recommendations in the $2500-ish range, each with a distinct approach to sound reproduction, each with impeccable credentials. Happy listening.

I have GoldenEar products and love them.