best low priced bookshelf speakers

I own the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR and have used them with quality adequately powered SS amps and for the life of me do not know what the hype was all about. Whenever I rotate them into my system I inevitably take them out after a couple of days. I have read that the real magic was in the previous iteration of this speaker.

I wonder if I just like the tone of the Scanspeak classic series speaker drivers in my go to tower speakers.

I've said it before and I'll keep on saying it. The JBL 530s are an incredible buy even at their regular price of $600 a pair.  You can catch them on sale for half of that on the JBL website every so often.  You can ditch the sub as these puppies crank out some serious bass with their 5.25 inch woofer.  Give them a try.  Your son-in-law will not be disappointed. 

Thank you everybody.  There was a bunch of really great recommendations.  I'll pass this info to him to use to upgrade.  Meanwhile he bought a pair of NHT super one's and is pleased with them.  We'll see how they do when I add my old NHT sub zero to the mix.  As an old audiophile I hope to entice him into listening to many different components.  He is a musician and is developing his direction.  Thank you all again!

Please let us know what he thinks of the NHT SuperOne speakers 
Also, how do they match with the NHT Sub Zero subwoofer. 

NHT Super Ones are SUPER!