monitor or floorstander?


i'll be shopping for new speakers sometime this year, and plan a trip to a local hifi shop in the next few weeks.
previously i have investigated floorstanders only, was leaning toward audio physic virgos (out of budget, but they were sweet, i'd stretch if need be). the same dealer carries spendor, alon, proac, verity, among others but i did not have time to audition competitive speakers.
lately my thoughts have turned to monitor speakers. i suspect my interest in monitors comes from thinking that a monitor, dollar for dollar, will be designed better than a floorstanding sibling.
i would like to keep my budget under $3.5k, but closer to $2.5 or $3k would be preferred and want to wring every goddamn cent for what its worth. buying used is not a problem either.
i'm not dead set on monitors, and still have interest in floorstanders, but i need to hear from monitor people.

my dealer is coming out of a massive remodeling project and usually only stocks top of the line gear in store. i'm hoping he has a pair of spendor 1/2 and proac monitors for audition.
can anyone suggest competitive monitors?

my listening: uncle topelo, son volt, dylan, neil young, zappa, black crowes, alice in chains, soundgraden, miles, monk, coltrane, bill evans, l.hopkins, jack dupree, zeppelin, stones, beatles, asylum street spankers, supersuckers, fu manchu, nebula, gov't mule, g. dead, marley, etc to name a few from recent rotation. so definitley rock (acoustic & heavy), jazz, alt-country listening sessions.

does my taste in music preclude me from being a monitor man?

associated equipment:
rogue audio magnum 99 preamp
rogue audio 88 amp
metronome cd 1
msb link dac iii
music hall 5
pro-ject phono box (temporary fix for phono, to be replaced)
alpha core goertz mi2
alpha core tourmaline ics
ps audio p600
paradigm monitor 7's (artifact from previous system)

my listening room at the moment is a little corner of the basement i call my own, (10' by 12')ish, where i have to set my speakers along short wall, bad huh? unfortunatley NO CHOICE right now.

thanks in advance
fujindemon

I just auditioned Canton speakers to compare them to my Reference 100s. But a Canton monitor blew me away. Not Canton, but a good monitor will get you far. With a sub, you have a great speaker system. See Talon monitors. Nothing about them, yet all reviews are favorable. They're out of your price range if you purchase new. but secondhand may be viable. Rogue also powered the Canton Monitors.

This always baffles me. A monitor ends up taking the same floor space yet gives so much less. Different strokes, I guess.

I've got new KLH Model 5's, which are kind of between a monitor and a floor-stander. I listen to rock and reggae almost exclusively, and those speakers sound terrific through those (and an MSB S-200 power amp), and with that 10 inch woofer, it delivers a fine, tight, unbloated bass in my listening space (which is sonically dead with wall-to-wall carpet and lots of plush furniture, and has no side walls to speak of). Even though they just recently upped the price, it is still a great value....

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