Best $500 speakers for Home theater only?

Have you thought or looked at Magnepan (MC-1'S or MMG-W)?

http://magnepan.com/

How about the North Creek Echo?

http://www.northcreekmusic.com/Echo/EchoInfo.htm

http://emotiva.com/news.html

...scroll down to the speaker section on Emotiva's page and look at the ERM-6.3's shown in the picture. Emotiva is their own manufacture, and direct distributor to the end customer, which is how you can save. These are $499 each, and will likely offer far more for you money in a dynamic HT speaker than you can otherwise get.
I think you're looking at something like dual 6.5" woofers, dual 4 1/4" midranges and a 1" tweeter. If they sound anything like their small reviewed pairs, you should be doing very well here!
Having dual woofers and midranges should offer superior dynamics, better power handling, better distortion cancelation, and a more solid overall image and dynamic from your transducer, all things equal.
Just a thought...

That's an awfully expensive sub to use with $500 speakers

Well,
It's for ht! How good do the speakers have to be?? They will be crossed over at 80hz.

Iplaynaked,
I am planning on getting their new processor, so maybe that would be a good match. Thanks for the replies!

Only problem with bookshelf is you have to get stands that would prolly cost as much as the speakers!

For home theater, given that you already have a high-output sub, seems like high output mains are called for. Maybe Klipsch Chorus.

Duke

Check out HSU Research. I heard there full range stuff while auditioning a sub. Considering the listening area, not bad at all. You can get a full set AND a mid bass driver.

Check the Axiom line from Canada . Not good for music but pretty nice for HT . They used to have a 30 day buy and try . If you don't like them send them back for a full refund . You can also buy blems and used from their site .
The blems are pretty tough to see any blemish at all , a good bargain . Clean and clear with good bass . With music the highs are too much though . Designed with tube amplifiers .

I still have the surrounds (dipole) and center . Looking for different fronts as I like to watch music videos at times .

Good luck .

Check out the pair of Mirage M3's that just came up for sale here. Those speakers are great and so is the price. They will make an excellent 2 channel home theater.