Monitors that compete with quality floorstanders??

I also recommend the Decapos. They are among the very best monitors anywhere close to their price I've listened to but then some might be a bit turned off by their liveliness, a reason I prefer them, among other attributes that I haven't heard in similarly priced monitor speakers. They most CERTAINLY compete quite well with my long term well regarded and highly reviewed former 2-way floorstanders and exceed them in several key areas of performance, at least to my ears and expectations. You won't get the lowest octave but you will get fast accurate mid/upper bass, great staging and excellent imaging. Very punchy natural drum attack and great with percussion instruments in general. Solo piano is just sublime and most natural.

I also concur with Akg_ca, it really is dependent on the rest of your system.

It all depends on your room and electronics. All of us who have monitors will tell you that what we have is best, lol. Have you had a chance to go listen anywhere? Educate yourself if you can. Heck, I was a monitor guy, but ended up with a pair of Proac Super Towers (that I'm finally selling to upgrade). I have the matching Studio Monitors too and the floorstanders take up the exact amount of space as the Studio 1's on stands and they sound even better and image just as good.

Are you sold on monitors? If not, you can have it all in that price range. Again, room and electronics/cables?

I remember the Atohm 1 from a few Newport Audio Shows ago that really impressed me. Astonishing bass from such a small monitor with great coherence and musicality. Unfortunately it's way above your price range but they have another model called the Sirocco 1-0 that, if anywhere near as good as the Atohm, may be your ticket.
http://www.audiowaveshifi.com/atohm.htm
I haven't heard the Sirocco but if you can get an audition, if might be worth it, and it's more than a bit below your budget.

All the best,
Nonoise

+1 for Fritz Rev7's.

Why won't you consider augmenting with subwoofer? Even a tower speaker with built-in powered subwoofer can't do what monitors plus subs can do. There's far lower cabinet resonance in a monitor and it's easier to place bass generators where they work well with the room while placing the monitors where they image the best.

You could, for example, get a pair of KEF LS50s, which are class A sound down to around 60 Hz, and have the rest picked up by a good, fast sub or two.