Monitor speakers - choices to narrowed down to...

As much as I am not a fan of them the B&W nautulis 805's are about the best sounding moniter I have ever heard. My statement about not liking them is simply because I don't like the local dealer, it has nothing to do with the product. Great bass and imaging for the size of the speakers, and can be found sometimes used for about what you are looking to spend. Good luck and happy hunting.
Tim

Sticking to the B&W theme, I owned the Matrix 805's (predecessor to the Nautilus recommended above) for years without a sub and never noticed the lack of bass. They are often for sale used here for around $800. They are simply fabulous monitor speakers. Of the ones you listed, I like the ProAc's the best; I now own the Response 1SC's and they are also fantastic, but more money than the Matrix or the Nautilus or the Tablette's.

I recently setup Spendor S3/5s in a 14x16x9 study, where the speakers must be less than ideally place along a long wall. Rogue Tempest Magnum and Audio Aero Prima completed the sysem. Now I listen to this setup more than my main system.

Sorry I can't compare the Spendor's to any of the speakers on your list because I haven't heard them. But if you put a premium on musicality and low listener fatique, the Spendor "Classic" line is tough to been IMHO.

Check out Herb Reichert's review on enjoythemusic.com: "...I am getting old, I've been around the audio block a few times and I think this $900 (!!!) loudspeaker is going to end up as one of the small handful true audio classics. What it doesn't do is play loud or play bass notes below 70-80Hz. What it does do, which is deliver superbly transparent, extremely detailed, authentic sounding music playback -- it does better than any small speaker I have ever heard -- period! Yes. You heard me right. My use of the word "any" includes speakers like Wilson's "Watt", the ProAc Responses and Tablettes, the Sonus Faber Concertos ..."

Happy hunting!

a used pair of linn tukans, if you're serious about musicality before detail and all of that. they're wonderful little monitors, and they put out a surprising amount of bass.

Just to be different (and because I think they are really great speakers) I'll recommend something already on your list - the SR-15s. I own the SR-17s and use them in a 13.6 x 13.6 x 8 bedroom. Silverline makes a wonderfully balanced speaker, it is forgiving of placement, and fairly efficient, to boot. I love mine.

chas