Exemplary active nearfield speakers under $1k?

Adam Audio . Number one in the Pro Audio sector . Very flat response . All around great speaker .

I've used the Mackie HR series...nice.
Mackie HR624mk2 (about $1000) and HR824mk2.

I second the Adams.

If you are looking used, NHT M00s should also be considered, at well under that $$. In fact, you could probably do a sub and a darn good DAC w the M00s for under $1K. That's what I have on my desktop. M00s, a passive attenuator, HRT DAC and a powered sub. If it were any better, I'd never get any work done ;-)

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm looking for accurate, detailed, balanced, but rich, analog-sounding speakers. Does anyone have experience with the Swan M200 MkII?

Detailed... but not CLINICAL.

What about Eve Audio SC204, Vanatoo T-1, NHT Superpower 2.0, Fostex PM0.4d and JRK RP8G3?

Of course if you can stretch your budget look at AVI. Remote control volume and built in DAC.

KRK RP8G3

I use small M Audio monitors in my home studio and a larger pair in my kitchen as a Sonos zone. Neither is truly an audiophile type product, but both are good performers that do yeoman's work in their respective application and IMHO represent excellent value. I preferred both to the KRK Rockit models and the Sampson models at the same (sub $500/pr) price points, FWIW.

Consider Focal CMS 40. Well priced accept RCA input, which not all professional monitors do. I have the CMS 50s which are great for a desktop.

I'm willing to go up to $1k, but if I can get the job done cheaper, so much the better. Above all, the desktop monitors have to be sweet to listen to -- an harmonically rich and detailed midrange, non-anemic midbass and a non-fatiguing high end. In other words, musical. Good imaging and air a big plus.

There are several powered monitors in the Emotiva Pro line that fit your budget and use a Heil AMT-type folded ribbon tweeter. I haven't heard these Emotiva monitors yet, but I've heard several speakers that use some variation of this tweeter by GoldenEar and MartinLogan. The treble on these is airy and extended, yet smooth and totally devoid of the resonances, ringing, and overshoot so common to certain pistonic dome tweeters.

Here is another recommendation for the Emotiva AirMotiv speakers. They are active speakers, having their own built-in amps. The AirMotiv 5s are $449/pr. and the AirMotiv 6s are $699/pr.

The main difference between the two models is in the woofer size, 5.25 in. vs. 6.5 in. The 5s go down to about 53 Hz and the 6s are good down to about 43 Hz. Both have the Heil-inspired folded ribbon air motion tweeter (AMT) which is a very good tweeter indeed.

Emotiva offer a 30 day in-home trial, so you might want to go ahead and order a pair and see how they sound in your home. Because they are self-powered (and bi-amplified!), you could conceivably put together a very satisfying system with the AirMotivs and something like an Oppo BDP-103 ($499) universal player. And/or, connect them to a decent sound card in a PC.

For right around $1,000 - $1200 you could put together a very credible, musical sound system that would satisfy 'most anyone...

http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/speakers/products/airmotiv6

-RW-