I need advice on a good value for speakers

Dealer demo is part of their sunk cost. Besides, if they treat you well, you will refer, etc. Demo, demo...and demo!

I will second the Mirage OMD-15s. I had them, and they are fantastic floor standers. I now have the OMD-28s...which are amazing, but a bit too big for my room. I would also recommend listening to Paradigm, based on your music tastes. Audition the Studio 20's.

I ended up going with Totem Rainmakers for my winter speakers, and if you have a dealer I would recommend a listen. Pretty remarkable speakers.

Good listening!
Mot

11-03-11: Manoterror
"Dealer demo is part of their sunk cost. Besides, if they treat you well, you will refer, etc. Demo, demo...and demo!"

At first glance I was tempted to scream "No! Don't audition and then buy oinline."
But - Would a B&M dealer prefer you spend some time in the store, see what they have, get familiar with the staff, and then buy online. Or never walk into the shop?
I dunno - I'm asking.
(Of course the best for them would be demo then buy from them)

I think getting from dealer on the long run carefully considering the shipping cost especially for speakers, possibility of shipping damage, also possibility of service plan if needed may end up making more sense.

the automatic assumption that everything's cheaper online is fallacious--in the auto business, for example, there's all sorts of data that shows that something like 75% of the time you get a better deal from your local dealer than by shopping on the internet. with audio gear, as per markanetz (and especially considering shipping costs) you'll often found better deals at a bricks and mortar store than on the web. i do think that those b&m dealers who refuse to deal/insist on charging MSRP are likely to fail--i think most folks are willing to pay a reasonable premium for personal service, expertise, etc., but will balk at paying an arbitrary premium.

Look into used Snell, Type D and the C series III,IV,and V are all very good and should fit well in your budget range ($500-$1000). I had a pair of the C-V's in my room (15x21x8) for a couple of years and sold them to a friend so I could try horns. They sounded great in my room and still sound great at my friends house.
Good Luck