Wilson Wat Puppy 7 or Avalon Opus Ceramique?

And then, of course, there is the Fletcher-Munson curve to consider, if Mike is going to play music at low volumes. Given that, a small, high-quality monitor with a sub (or subs) might be a good choice. I suppose he could get an integrated amp with tone controls instead, but that wouldn't be my first choice.

Mikefi: what does "rather low volume" mean?

The times I've owned monitor speakers I tended to listen to them a little too loud in order to get the fullness in the low frequencies that I enjoy. When I put a sub with them I enjoyed them at a lower volume, relying on the sub to give a subtle fullness to the sound. I have since moved to larger speakers and don't use the sub anymore. I have a fairly large listening room, so this thought process may not work for the original poster, but it's just something maybe to consider.

For a monitor that sounds amazing at low to medium volume, check out the Harbeth Compact 7-CES. They sound amazing and are not that fussy about electronics.