Best small, desktop speakers, $500 or under (new or used)

I own some of the aforementioned gear and have used several setups, including the Audioengine A2+ - and while they may be very sexy to look at, to my ears they were too small to satisfy without a sub (as hickamore is using them, yes, I am sure then it's a different story!), so they are now in my kitchen instead. My current desktop setup is Mac- SMSL Sanskrit 10th MKII - Emotiva A-100 BasX - Totem Rainmakers. Having said this, I also, like several commenters above, have heard the Vanatoo speakers at an Audio Show in NYC last year and was blown away by how big they sounded. It seemed unfathomable that all that room filling sound came out of them, and I am still trying to find an excuse to buy them to experience them at home… This may not apply to you, but certainly anyone starting from scratch without an amp they want to use, I would recommend checking out those Vanatoos - and I don’t even own them, just can’t get that experience out of my head. I recall youtube reviewer Joshua Valour going into more detail why those speakers are his personal favorites for desktop use.

cornwall IV
damn the torpedos

All the love for RS Minimi should make us recall that they were introduced as "everyman's" knockoffs of Visonik's David and the a/d/s/ L200.  You can disagree, but IMO the a/d/s/ L300 series (C,CC,e) were the best expression of the concept...5" 2-way with their "sticky" fabric dome and in the "e" model, a polymer dome.  I have a pair of the "e"s and consider them perfect for desktop use...coherent, not over-bright, nice punchy bottom, great compact size.  The C & CC versions have a bit more "zing" on the top end, which some may prefer.  You can often find any of these on ebay.

Google "Arche Audio FR2" speakers ($300 delivered) and you will find positive online reviews.

DeKay

I have both Vanatoo Zeros and One Encores.  Excellent self powered speakers with built in DACs.  The One Encores work on a desk or stands.  The Zeros are especially good for Desks.  Very adjustable and sound excellent when you turn off the compressors that are on when sent out from the factory to keep people from overloading them with bass heavy music at a dance party.  Easy to turn off.  I met the company owners at Florida Audio Expo a year ago and their demo was pretty amazing for the price of this product.  Highly recommended for your desk!

@b_limo 

Just wondering, have you heard the Max paired in stereo mode? You'll be surprised.

My reference to the LS50W with regards to its pricing/value. If the Max didn't exist at its price point then there is no argument.

Lots more good suggestions. No one has tried the Ascend speakers? Hmmm.

One thing is certain — I really am hoping for a real speaker, not just a "computer speaker." It seems that's possible, but there are a number of computer speakers thrown into the mix here, so I'm not sure where the line is for people between "real" and "computer." Perhaps that's too subjective to even wonder about.

The Peachtree interest me -- however, I do I have a (somewhat older, but still $500 new) peachtree DAC.

As much as the Totem Rainmakers appeal, I did find that 14" height is just a bit big for 2-3 ft. nearfield.

The pressure is mounting for the Vanatoos; might be coming in for a serious look.

Zdac, 
I have heard the LS50w’s properly set-up and they are downright amazing.  They compete with many of the dozens of high end speakers I have owned.  I’ve owned LS50w’s.

I have never once heard, or heard about the speakers that you mentioned.  I find it strange though that you only have 2 posts... do you work for the company or you are just a satisfied customer wanting to share your experience? I will look into them a bit more.  I do hate when someone makes remarks about something they haven’t heard, and thrn I go and do it 🤷🏼

I’ve heard Vanatoos multiple times and was impressed every time.  Every one who heard them at the shows were really impressed too.  They do sound good, have ridiculous bass and play loud.  The vanatoo would also smash A2+’s.  
Remember, I bought the B2 so I’m not trying to say they are crap, they just aren’t in ghe same league at all

 Zdac, still not sold.  Looks like a lifestyle product with voice command.  My 15 year old nephew who is Apple and Alexa fan boy would buy it.

For $400 if I was looking for something like that, I’d buy a Peachtree Deepblue.  
Have you heard a Deepblue?

Another +1 for AudioEngine.

From what I understand, upgrading the crossover makes a marked difference to their sound quality?

Yes- replacing the non-polar electrolytic in the crossover with a film cap, which is easy to do.

The Optimus Pro LX-4 looks interesting too. I'll look at how to mod them.

See if you can find the Pro LX-5- its a better speaker in nearly every way. The only problem you run into with them is that there is rear-firing information coming from the tweeters, so the speakers have to be a bit away from the wall behind them for best results. But they are fast and quite smooth, although at this point the woofers will have to be either replaced (replacements are easy to find) or the foam surrounds on the woofers replaced (foam surround kits are easy to find too).

Type of music preferred, classical, jazz, but rock too. I.e., varied.

Speakers don't have taste in music and no-one has found a way to make a speaker better for a certain genre, so this is no worries.
Now the Rogers LS35/a and all the recent variants (Spendor, Harbeth, etc.) should not be ignored! This speaker is very musical and designed for nearfield listening.

Another vintage speaker that is a lot of fun is the KLH Model Nineteen. This is the smallest KLH of the original series designed by Henry Kloss and has the distinction of being one of the few he did that is not a sealed cabinet. Finding a set in good shape is hard, but this speaker is very fast and cohesive, as it has no crossover and relies on a pair of full-range high efficiency 4" drivers.

None of the speakers I've mentioned so far need any serious power- 5 to 10 watts is plenty!

Hold out for a used pair of Silverline Minuets — you wont be sorry.  And I’d cross the Clairaudient speakers off your list.  They’re awful.  I had the 1+1 on demo and were the worst speakers I’ve ever heard.  Took them to a buddy’s house to hear them in his system and he laughed at how bad they were.  Rolled-off, muddy highs, hollow- sounding mids, and no dynamics whatsoever.  IMO someone at TAS got paid for a positive review because these things are awful.  Did I mention they’re awful?  Anyway, hope this helps, and best of luck in your search. 

Clairaudients are awful...well, that might explain why they can be found for $450 or $550 online.

Would love to find Rogers, Spendor, Harbeth in this price range...a bit of a challenge! And KLH, too!

So, let me let one small confession slip... I presently have some small Pinnacle PN5+ speakers which are a good size and sound ok. I just figured these are pretty mediocre compared to what folks are saying here. And...the company is out of business, too. But maybe there’s a tweak there or I just have something better than I think I do. They were never expensive speakers but...

The Triangle Borea BR02 is $450... they are getting great reviews.  Check them out too.

I have 2 pair of Realistic (Radio Shack) Minimus 7s, they're OK. I used one set for surround rears for years on the shelf behind the couch. I seriously upgraded them to Martin Logan Motion 2s (with AMT) These will work on a desktop 110-25000 Hz. Put a $40 CyberAcoustics under the desk to fill in lower freqs. They are worth the $240/pr while they last. Call Safe and Sound and ask if they have any refurbs ($150) laying around.

The holy grail of desktop speakers are the Monsoon Planar 9s. They are like mini Magnapans. The catch is that the controller connects to the amp\sub via a 9 pin mini din and they are All broken. If you can microsolder an old Mac printer cable would work. I have the pin assignments. Otherwise you can jury rig them to another amp/sub (like I did for my TV) but the SQ will probably be inferior to OEM.
If you are ambitious, Madisound is the winner. I love the pair I built from scratch 25 years ago before they marketed cabinet kits. Probably cost prohibitive by the time you match an amp to them. 
Unless you are dead set on your own amp I recommend powered speakers for better SQ and less clutter. Review the rec's above. Even though I have not heard the Vanatoos I'll wager that they sound the best due to bi-amping (matched to the drivers.)and radiators.  Only a direct showdown could prove me wrong.
If you want to max out your $500 my vote is for Vanatoo Transparent One Encore B-Stock.  You'll probably have to make a request to reserve a pair.

Thanks so much. I'm not ambitious to build for desktop. I am open to de-cluttering. The idea of a bi-amped speaker for desktop was something I would have thought overly- fancy for that application, but there you go!

That's why the self powered bi amped Vanatoos look like fitting the bill.
I have an Ascend Sierra for a center in my surround sys. Love it. Blends well with the ML Motion 2 AMT rears and front ESLs.

+1 for the. Vanatoo.  Everything you need save a source device in a compact great sounding package that is loaded with technology.  The tone controls alone will come in very handy. 

I’ve owned and used Vanatoos and kef ls-50’s as desktop speakers, and both are great, but I think the Kefs sound incredible nearfield.  Especially powered with class d.

I’ve been very happy with a PSB Alpha PS1 speaker system. I have the option small matching sub and as a whole it’s surprisingly good with great dispersion. Nicely made small and very good sound. Speakers are list $299 usd. SubSeries 100 matching sub is $249. I’ve used them with out the sub and they are very nice too 

I’m running the kef ls50s off Class D near field in the room below where the Vanatoo are and agree 100%.  Listening as I type.  

How about Monitor Audio Radius 90 or 180?
https://www.monitoraudio.com/en/product-ranges/radius/radius-90/
The R90’s sound great on a desktop and priced right in the budget ballpark.

I don't see LS50 for less than 700 dollars...will look at Monitor.

JohnBlue jb3 - Nice sounding single driver speaker designed for desktop, or standmount, listening. Great for nearfield listening. I used to see them mentioned here occasionally, but haven't in a while. I don't know if they have any US dealers. I bought mine several years ago  directly from JohnBlue in Taiwan. I just clicked on the "Contact us" button on their website.

Johnblue sounds intriguing 

You might like Adam Audio active studio monitors. 

Eve Audio SC203 are on my wish list, very well reviewed and small footprint.  Come with stands.  Just seem a bit overpriced in the US.

Adam and Eve, eh? What -- no Noah or Job or Methuselah speakers?

@hilde,  I’ll sell you my Rosenut Kef R100’s for $500... I’ll even let you take them home and demo them.  If you love them, shoot me the $ via friends and family pay pal.  If you don’t love them, which you probably will, just ship them back to me. I had decided that I was going to hang on to them for awhile because they sound fantastic but the stars aligned and I’m buying some Carreras.  I have the original boxes and screens.

What do you guys think?  Kef R100’s with Adcom 535, Adcom Pre, Choice of Audio Engine Dac or Peachtree Dac...  

I’ll even throw in some $300 Signal Cable Silver Resolution cables (one side has bananas, Other end is bare) to sweeten the deal...

Fyi, they are 10x7x11. Same as the Paradigm Atoms but 2” deeper

AudioEngine A5 has 5” mid with soft dome tweeter...

"Sony bluetooth? Sound good?"

They include DAC (USB input) and really more than good headphone amplifier. They do sound quite good for size and that is why I recommended them. I assume you want to have more than speakers on the desk. Some of the recommended ones must be better, but seem bulky. Of course, it depends on the size of your desk.

Very tempting! Have to think on it, b limo!

You can often get these for 60-90$ and I often like listening to them more while I work than my 3k Focals above them :) JBL104 - I have series 1 (no bluetooth) but series 2 does have it if you need more convenience. They're awesome and hard not to buy b/c they're so cheap!
https://www.amazon.com/JBL-Professional-Reference-Monitors-JBL104/dp/B07MHQZV62

My two cents and ears, for budget choices:
First choices:
Triangle Zetas for 200 on Amazon...detailed, a bit forward, musical...I have these. Someone once stated they sounded similar too his Spendors.Cambridge SX50 (200) or Minx XL (300) more laid back, "soothing" in the words of one reviewer.

Second choices:Others Infinity R152 (200), Dali Spektor 2 (now over 300). R152 sounds similar to Kef Q100s and I liked them better, a bit more detailed than Zetas but more clinical IMO.

All should be easy for any amp from a cheaper class d, ab, etc to more expensive options which bring out the best in them.

Would not recommend Paradigm Atoms kind of dull and awful for in room stereo, Ascend (too homogenized, everything sounds same), Polk or Klipsch (cheaper models are banchees). 

If size doesn’t matter and used OK...there’s a diversity from which to choose.

I've chased this for years. I decided internal amplification for computer/desktop was the way to go, then improve the source: high res music files, good soundcard or DAC, Amarra, etc. I started early with new Altec Lansing ACS48s - loved them. Then B&W MM-1: excellent and fun but, like Audioengine and my Adam Artist 5s, all sounded accurate but slightly processed to these ears. A pair of used Swan M200 Mk II arrived with damaged internal amps but sound terrific with external amplification. I love our sublime Totem Arros and other small Totem designs have that magic but I'm not tempted by the sound of the self-powered Kin Play. My keepers: 1) Decware DM944s (now DM945) - I used then nearfield for awhile but they deserve more room – and tubes. This brings me to 2) Vanatoo Transparent Ones - the knock-out punch. Music leaps and thunders out of them. Jaw-dropping yet very musical. Miraculous. The Zeros are smaller, and perhaps cooler design-wise, and equally astonishing for their size - I've heard them at length and in conversation with one of the owners. For context, I always buy used; myroom-sized systems have included Klipsch Quartets and Klipschorns; Merlin, Mirage, Allison, Canton. Omega 7 XRS Alnico, Tekton OB4.5. My keepers are all full-throated, balanced, transparent and tonally rich to my ears: Klipsch Epic CF-3, Decware DM944s, Totem Arros – and for desktop use, the Vanatoo Transparent Ones.

+1 For Audioengine A2+ with their DAC. That is my office system. 

ADS l300s

Another vote for Vanatoo Transparent Zero, incredible speakers from a very responsive company. You must use their interconnect between speakers, it is NOT a regular ethernet cable. Excellent sound from a tiny set of speakers.

Thanks for the many additional ideas. I like the idea of a very efficient speaker, if only because I’d be curious to try driving it with a small tube amp someday rather than my Adcom. I agree about the Atoms. Dull. The JBL and that Vanatoos still sound interesting. There really is too much out there!

These are too much, but the seem like a good, more expensive desktop option— Decware Trapeziums 

Audioengine A5 + Audioengine S8 subwoofer......used.....

I also recommend Audioengine 2+ speakers for true desktop use. Really nice performance for an inexpensive price. Heck, I even got out of my "speakers should be heard and not seen" mode and bought the red ones (really attractive!)

Assuming you are not looking for powered speakers such as AUDIOENGINE, the ELAC B 6.2 currently at $244 /pr. is pretty hard to beat.

I just jumped on these yesterday on Music Direct, matter of fact.  I had been looking at B stock units on Elac America for $209 but got sidelined by a small flooding issue here in mid-Michigan last week.  When I got back around to pulling the trigger on them this week, they were sold out.  A-stock was $349, then yesterday every carrier of the brand seemed to drop the price to $244.  So I pulled.  Looking forward to putting them in the office next week.

The one question raised for me about speakers like the ELAC B 6.2 is whether they'd be much of an improvement over my old Pinnacle PN5+. Indeed, reading about them makes me wonder whether I've been wasting everyone's time here -- don't flame me for saying that! 
http://www.audioreview.com/product/speakers/floorstanding-speakers/pinnacle/pn5.html

It's just that they're so old and perhaps mid-fi that I was thinking that maybe big advances had happened since, well, 1988, and I could easily best these things with even something well under $500.

However, if you were to say to me -- "Dude, you've got no reason to be unhappy with those speakers" -- I would slink away and just move on! So...anyone care to shame me? I can take it!

Vanatoo has “B” stock for $319, I believe shipping is free, just add state tax.

That’s on the Zero.

@aburn -- thanks a lot! 

I do have to say, I am getting pretty exhausted with marketing hype. From the Vanatoo copy for $359 dollar desk speakers:

"The speakers reproduce music exactly the way it was recorded, with solid bass, clear midrange, and sparkling highs."

FFS.

Within your budget I would go for audio engine if you can get a pair of HD6 on the used market for a desktop system it is better to go with Powered Speakers mind you they can be a bit fatiguing But you get very good bass and crisp clear mind & Highs in a small listening  environment you will not need a sub ! You future proof yourself I got mine for $ 575 new so I am sure some on line dealers may offer discount pricing 

don't drive yourself nuts 
its $500  buy the first one that you think looks  ok.  move on ,  All the speakers 
outshine each other in different areas