monitor speaker for near-wall placement?

I'd highly recommend listening to Mission in that price range. They have good speakers in the $200 range, and I'm not sure about current models, but they had a model that was around $500 (the 750??, I think). They recommend that most of their models be 8" from the rear wall.

Check out the System Audio 1110's ($750 new retail) These are great little speakers that are very easy to place and sound great. Stereophile has always raved about System Audio's at their hifi shows. The only down fall is they are not the easiest to find dealers and seldom see them used on Audiogon. I actually have a pair that I don't use but plan to hold on to them. Good luck...

Totem Rokk, real little gems for under $500. Look damned nice too