The best bang for the buck I've seen in fifty years of speaker fanaticism are the Boston Acoustics T-1030. They have a very balanced and transparent presentation, they can go deep and loud, and they are dirt cheap on the used market. They are pretty rare - people who own them don't tend to let them go, but if you're patient, you can pick up a pair for under $500. I recently picked up a nice cherry veneer pair for $200.
And I'm not a cheapskate with no experience in nice speakers. I currently have 10 pairs of speakers set up at my ranch house, including JBL L-300, JBL Project Array 1400, Revel Ultima Salon 2, and JBL Everest DD67000.
And I'm not a cheapskate with no experience in nice speakers. I currently have 10 pairs of speakers set up at my ranch house, including JBL L-300, JBL Project Array 1400, Revel Ultima Salon 2, and JBL Everest DD67000.