For small rooms and tight budgets mini's on stands are they way to go. Just add subwoofers down the line and things get very serious.
Roger's LS3 5A's are the classic. I like the Harbeth's. Have not heard the LS 50's. I'm not sure what "near field" means. You have the corners of an equilateral triangle. I like the base (distance between the speakers) a tad smaller. There are large triangles and there are small ones. The perspective should be the same. Instead of "near field" I think we should use the term "small triangle." I think it is obvious that a small triangle system does not require as much power and real estate as a big triangle system but at the listening position it should be as loud and sound like the big triangle system. The perspective is the same. Thus you can have the very same sound quality of a big dynamic system for much less money. What you won't get is the power and volume 30 feet away. Does that matter when you are in the listening position?
Roger's LS3 5A's are the classic. I like the Harbeth's. Have not heard the LS 50's. I'm not sure what "near field" means. You have the corners of an equilateral triangle. I like the base (distance between the speakers) a tad smaller. There are large triangles and there are small ones. The perspective should be the same. Instead of "near field" I think we should use the term "small triangle." I think it is obvious that a small triangle system does not require as much power and real estate as a big triangle system but at the listening position it should be as loud and sound like the big triangle system. The perspective is the same. Thus you can have the very same sound quality of a big dynamic system for much less money. What you won't get is the power and volume 30 feet away. Does that matter when you are in the listening position?