Best way to spend $1000 on used bookshelf speakers?

Depends completely on what sound characteristics you’re looking for and what electronics you’re driving them with. 

Dynaudio focus 140,160
Focal Aria 906, chorus 807w
Usher 718be: maybe for that price 

@hilde45 - Oh man... point taken. Thanks for that.

FWIW - I'm using a Rotel A12 to drive them. I listen to a huge variety of music, but I think I like the extra bass and punch required to make rock/pop/electronic shine.

@ohmy - before any model recommendations, I'd assess the following:

1. room size and listening distance
2. how close to the walls and corners the speakers will be
3. which music genres you enjoy most
4. which speakers you've heard that you liked
5. which speakers you've heard that you disliked

true bookshelf is a different category than small monitor's.

either should be located/stand mounted to get the tweeters at seated ear level.

in any case, I advise no ports, if ports only front facing.

Proac Response 2 would be a great match considering the amp & desire to rock out with something small...not often easy to do. Since they are an older model $3K originally, used ~$1K is possible. Looking for 2 seconds, I found: https://reverb.com/item/45210640-proac-response-two-s-speakers-free-shipping-in-original-boxes-to-co...

Cheers,
Spencer

May take some time but Ref 3A de Capo i's can be found for around $1000

See Underwoodhifi END OF SUMMER SALE 

  LSA-10 Signatures Only $999.00 a pair Our lowest price ever Save $1500.00 36Hz bass from a monitor that sounds like a floor-stander

+1 @tweak1 on the LSA-10 Signatures — that’s a ton of excellent speaker for that price. 

I acquired a large monitor I had enjoyed years ago when reviewing it for Dagogo.com, the Wharfedale Opus 2-M2. It has similar wonderful 3" soft dome midrange that has appeal in the ATC and PMC speaker lines. I got my pair for $750 and have them mated to subs. I bought them specifically for the 3" midrange, because that sound cannot be duplicated by other smallish bookshelf speakers using different configurations. Now, I have a dynamic speaker utilizing the 3" soft dome mid and it is set up to perform as a larger floor stander. Nice result, as envisioned.  Best inexpensive speaker system I have used in quite a while. 

The Opus 2-M2 is rare around here. I hadn't seen one for several years, so when it became available, I moved quickly. To obtain similar outcome you may wish to consider an older PMC or ATC speaker.  

Vandersteen VLR's are my pick.
Made to be near corners, like true bookshelf speakers.
CT or non-CT they can really be made to rock. Just add a Belles Aria Integrated, some good Audioquest cables and you're set.
I use mine like monitors in my office and am very happy.
Bob

When shopping for used speakers I prefer speakers that have sealed enclosures -- because you never know what insects or rodents have crawled into the enclosure.   Also, typically sealed enclosure speakers can be set closer to the wall.    In my opinion a speaker that can be set closer to the wall will be a more acceptable with the wife.       A speaker with a higher sensitivity can be paired with smaller and less expensive amplifiers.    Purhaps Klipsch would be a good place to start looking.    Also, smaller and cooler class D amplifiers is less obtrusive in a living room than bigger and hotter class AB amplifiers.   

I have Focal Arias powered by an Audio Research VSI60 tube amp and in my opinion the sound is pretty nice.

Meant to say Focal Aria 906

op

i personally would buy these

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ele/d/berkeley-spendor-speaker-sp1/7379408163.html

(except i have 2 pair already)

but these may not rock out well enough for you

 LSA-10 Signatures seem to be mediocre speakers, with the price constantly dropping, and very little demand for them. I have done a lot of research and legwork and I found nothing supporting the hype.

But of course it's a matter of taste and equipment too. 

@soix 
@tweak1

I’m with you guys on this one. OP, I think I paid $1400 for my LSA-10’s, and I consider it to be money well spent. $999 is almost a no-brainer, and they’ll have that bass punch you’re after. I listen to a lot of electronic music and they don’t disappoint in that department.

@gano

Just out of curiosity, did your “research and legwork” involve actually auditioning the speakers in your system?

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649767771-fritz-carbon-7-se-mk-2/?utm_source=featured_ad&utm_medium=web&utm_content=front&utm_campaign=front-featured-ad-click&utm_term=649767771

Never heard them but lots of love for Fritz products.

Dyna A25 or A35.  Still a huge bargain even after 50 years.

@rfnoise7
" Just out of curiosity, did your “research and legwork” involve actually auditioning the speakers in your system?"
OF COURSE I DID
I bought them for $1300. 
I contacted all the raving online reviewers, many times, NOBODY responded. These were the web sites and dudes, quoted for great reviews on the LSA web site.
Listened to them with a number of setups, they sounded awful, whichever way I tried. My PC speakers sounder better.
I couldn't return them so I tried to sell them. 
They were full of scratches on the bottom, - how I received it,  so I spent $150 with a furniture guy to fixt it. 
I then sold it for $800 7 weeks later plus shipping, so I lost $700 not including money I spent on advertising, gas, my time, etc. Then it would be closer to losing a $1000 on a pair of $1300 speakers. Did I mention I took them to 3 nearby audio stores and tried to trade them in and they said: dude, what's wrong with you, nobody knows these, nobody wants these, get out of my store.
I spent 20+ hours trying to sell them including driving 4 hours to meet potential buyers, so it was my worst experience "buying and selling". 
Not that I bought them thinking I would sell them, I wanted to like them. I was told that $1300 is a huge discount, "they are really 
$4000 speakers"
So... after my wife nearly kicked me out for throwing out $700 the window, I DO think I did a lot of legwork and research and suffering.

A25 if you are really going to…ugh….put them on a bookshelf…

Kef LS50
Sonus Fabers
Usher 520

I have all 3. All have WAF. Decent resell. All small footprints. And sound quality excellent. I prefer the Kef's for vocals, Fabers for Jazz, and the Ushers for rock.

There is a new pair of ELAC "Uni-Fi Reference UBR62's" on the Music Room website (TMRAudio.com). They normally list for $1200; and, they are one of the rare 3 way bookshelf speakers out there. Plus, the Uni-Fi series typically get very good reviews. Good luck in your search.

KEF LS50 Anniversary, very special ❤. 

Focal Aria and Kanta, Revel Performa, maybe some Monitor Audio Gold.