Monitors vs Full Range

There is no replacement for Full range (down to 20 Hz) Phase,time and pulse coherent speakers, no matter how good the monitors are! In my opinion. My Dunlavy V's stops me to even consider smaller alternative!

In addition to better soundstaging, a monitor pair with subwoofer(s) offers the opportunity to locate the subwoofer optimally in the room. The best location for the monitor is usually not the best for the subwoofer. A full range floor standing system ties the woofer location to the mid and treble driver location. Usually, we place the system to optimize the mids and treble, resulting in a sub-optimal (forgive the pun) location for the woofer. Nilthepill makes a good point that compatibility between monitors and subwoofers is important but difficult to attain. Of course the best set-up might be a well-matched set of monitors and subwoofer, properly located in your room.

As an apartment dweller, my living room is my music room. Apart from the other good points mentioned above, monitors integrate with a space better, both visually and psychically, than floorstanders do. With monitors and tasteful (no exposed hardware) two pillar Target stands it ALMOST looks like a normal human being might be living here. Sometimes I miss the tangible bass wave my last floorstanders rolled out but not too much.

The other point worth mentioning and which may be monitors' primary raison d'etre: monitors are more socially responsible, that is, more neighbor friendly due to their restrained bass response.

i pretty-much agree w/what everyone's said here. that's why i think even nilthepill's set-up could be improved w/a pair of great subs flanking his "monitors"! :>)

doug s.

I think Nilthepill's answer is based on price range. If you look at the monitors suggested by justlisten they are $1000 or less. Finding a full range floorstander which also has subtlety and finesse is almost impossible in this price range. However subtlety and finesse are abundant in monitors of this range (Ls3/5, Epos M12 just as a couple of examples).
If I had $5k for my speakers and a detached house then I certainly wouldn't bother with monitors. But with a budget of $1k or less (for new speakers) I think you end up having to trade off bass response for precision.