For nearfield listening: which of these towers?

Concern about the Halide - locked into only one type input: USB. Wonder if something like the Schiit Bifrost Uber might be a better option. Certainly more types of inputs, but is sound quality up to par with Halide?

The Halide is great for what is does, but only does one thing, which is all I need for my desktop. At the prices you are looking at, there is fortunately/unfortunately very many speakers and DACs which are very good.

Agree.

I auditioned speakers at Guitar Center again last night, via my music this time (iPhone 3.5mm output; 256kbps iTunes):

1. Benjamin Britten/ECO/Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major
2. John Coltrane - Afro Blue (Live at Birdland)
3. Karrin Allyson - You Don't Know What Love Is
4. Sarah Lazarus - It's Alright With Me
5. Terje Rypdal - Ambiguity
6. Jim Weider - No Exit Strategy
7. Miles Davis - I Thought About You

JBL LSR305 - music sounded as if it was coming out of a plastic box.
Tannoy Reveal 802 - clean, clear, even handed, slightly crisp/bleached/two-dimensional, seems like they would get fatiguing after a while, on sale reduced from $560 to $280 a piece (at GC and Sweetwater)!!!
Adams F7 - texture, grunt, delicate highs, great imaging, slightly recessed mids, no fatigue whatsoever.

If I were going to use these to mix, I'd have purchased the Tannoys. Since these are not for mixing but purely listening pleasure, I selected the Adams (30-day money back). I do not prefer recessed mids, but it was only slight to my ears. And since no speaker is perfect, I need to listen to these longer term before deciding whether or not they actually are slightly recessed, and if so, will it be an issue for me.

I am going to live with these on my desk with laptop as source via 3.5mm output before considering more gear (such as a DAC) and tweaks, if I feel it is even necessary.

Guitar center/pro monitors for nearfield listening is a very good call!!!! You probably just saved yourself a lot of money by avoiding high end home audio gear.

Rockadanny gets the high end audio practical-pick-to-click for the day, giving pro monitors a go for near-field listening at home.