Weighing in here based on my own experience: Of the speakers under discussion, I’ve heard/owned a pair of Proac Response 1SCs which were mentioned some posts ago (these spent about 10 years in my system before a change of amplification dictated something larger). I replaced them with Proac Response D2s, which seemed a bit bright and I didn’t like the way their treble and mids balanced. I’ve auditioned Silverline Minuet Grands, as well as several models of Fritz Speakers. Fortunately, both of these companies are based very close to where I live so they were willing to bring the speakers to my house to let me audition them in my own system.
My impressions of the Fritz and Silverline speakers were generally favorable, but they didn’t quite fit my own taste. The Proacs came closer, in the sense that they offered a very detailed and sharply defined sound as well as excellent stereo imaging. Proac has what I consider a proprietary "house" sound which I can’t describe in words but know it when I hear it. It’s a sound that appeals to me, but maybe not everybody. Fritz (who is a very nice guy, BTW, and extremely knowledgeable about his craft) emphasizes balance and smoothness, but for me, at the expense of "edge," that is, they tend to smooth out the sharply defined outlines of the instruments. They’re excellent speakers in all respects, just not exactly to my taste. The Silverlines seemed to be all about "oomph," so if you like room-filling timpani or bass drums or, say, the cannons in Tchaikovsky’s "1812 Overture," these are for you.
What I haven’t seen mentioned here are the speakers I finally settled on, which I think are in your price range: Ryan R610s. These are available from some retailers, so their company is not exactly a "cottage industry." I found mine here on A’gon slightly used, but that just means I didn’t have to spend however-many-100s of hours breaking them in. These are magnificently balanced and smooth like the Fritz’s, have all the bass you’d probably ever need in a small(ish) room, image extremely well, and illuminate the music without coloring it. The edges aren’t quite as sharp as the Proacs, but the overall sound is far more pleasing to my ear. If you can audition these, I highly recommend doing so.
http://ryanspeakers.com/Products/Products/R610.htmlBest of luck in your search--there are so many good options out there!
