Monitors $1,000 to $2,000?

On a responce posted on this topic (3/20 /04) a VMPS speaker is reviewed. I would suggest you look at that first before deciding. I have a pair of Proac Responce 2 which I love. Used with respective stands about 1600.

REFERENCE 3A MM DE CAPO I

If you are looking at monitors in this price range then I would recommend the offerings from Proac. There should be three speakersd which you should consider listening too. They would be the Tablette 2000 and the Tablette Reference 8 and Reference 8 signature. These monitors just "sing" and they just disappear in a room. If you are going to add a subwoofer to your system then any of the three would be a wise choice, the 8 signature being my favorite. The midrange will be classic british sound, not thrown right in you face, but just suspended right in the soundstage, and the amps your looking at will have more than enough juice to satisfy. There have been serveral reviews on the 8 signature and they are all very positive, check out MF's review in a recent Stereophile. The ultimate choice would be the next replacement for the Response 1SC.

If you have to chose between the Joseph audios and the Monitor Audios I would eventually go for the monitor audios, because there is no doubt that they are the better engineered speakers, even though the JAs are excellent and more exclusive, the monitor audio will leave you more satisfied.

Good choices, but please add Spendor to your short list. You can get a pair of used SP 1/2s or the slightly smaller SP 2/3s for this price, and either will offer a musicality far superior to almost any speaker made -- regardless of price.