BEST SPEAKERS AT A REASONABLE PRICE

Take a look at the speaker line from Monitor Audio. I have Monitor Audio Gold 100. Across their line there is good value from the price. Their floor standing as well as book shelves sound very good. The type of music that is your preference may should also be taken into consideration. I like jazz and speakers that are dynamic, clean and generally neutral. If heavy rock, R&B, or some other pop genre with very heavy bass you may want to consider other brans. There is obvious a wide range to select from

First off, you are using a surround sound receiver which is great for multi-channel video and music, but it limits the 2 channel Hi-Fi sound that you can get from a decent 2 channel system. I would recommend that you use that fund to invest in a 2 channel stereo integrated amp and speakers. You can spend around $1500 with a quality Solid State amp or a Tube amp or a Tube Hybrid amp and then a $1000 on a set of speakers. I have a Vincent SV237 Hybrid amp and a set of Klipsch Forte speakers which I really love (no subwoofer needed). I have removed the bottom risers from the Forte and have then on a speaker stand that points the mid-high horns to my head level which puts the sweet spot where it needs to be. My goal is to create the live experience from a 2 channel music which is really the what artist has intended us to hear. Hope this help which ever way you decide go.

There are many issues to consider.   

- What kind of music do you listen to?
- How loud do you want to listen?
- How big is your room?
- WAF

One of my all-time favorite systems belongs to a buddy who runs a pair of late 70's vintage KEF Calinda loudspeakers being driven by a Marantz 8B tube amp.  You can find Calindas for about $500/pair, but most are in Europe.  Hard to find in the USA.  I'd run a VTA ST70 to drive 'em and they can be had in kit form for about $800, and assembled for about $1000.

But you want to run your receiver and the Calinda is extremely revealing of what an amp sounds like.  I wouldn't want to run them on an Onkyo SS receiver.

What would be an *awesome* value would be to build the SEAS Thor kit, from Madisound, for a bit less than $2500.  A similar commercial loudspeaker from Joseph Audio sells for $12,000, so you get a good idea of the value proposition there.   If you're not up for doing the wood working, any kitchen cabinet maker could knock out the enclosures for you without much difficulty and depending on your budget, could offer any number of finishes.  One friend took his enclosures to an auto body paint shop and for $500, got something which looks very cool.

Paradigm speakers at any price level blow the doors off anything else in the same price range including their subs.

$2499 will buy you a pair of the already-mentioned Eminent Technology LFT-8b, and unlike the somewhat similar Magneplanar LRS, .7i, and 1.7i (all being magnetic-planars), which are a 4 ohm load and require a considerably stout power amp, the LFT-8b is an easy 8 ohm load (better for tubes) and requires less power. The Maggies are cheap, but their power amp requirements raises the cost of ownership.