Monitors that compete with quality floorstanders??

It all depends on your room and electronics. All of us who have monitors will tell you that what we have is best, lol. Have you had a chance to go listen anywhere? Educate yourself if you can. Heck, I was a monitor guy, but ended up with a pair of Proac Super Towers (that I'm finally selling to upgrade). I have the matching Studio Monitors too and the floorstanders take up the exact amount of space as the Studio 1's on stands and they sound even better and image just as good.

Are you sold on monitors? If not, you can have it all in that price range. Again, room and electronics/cables?

How can anyone say their speakers are the best for anyone else's situation when you don't know his room or the whole system they are using? That's what I never understood. Not trying to be a jerk, but if you ask anyone who knows, they'll tell you that room and the rest of the systems is everything. I've heard the same system in two different stores on the same day, sound totally different. Similar traits etc... but midbass to midrange were completely different. I've heard most of the speakers mentioned in this thread and some I have loved. I have liked a couple and not liked a few. Again, my ears are different than anyone elses...

Just an observation. This is a good starting point for him to go out and listen for himself. I personally have never heard a sub/monitor system that works for me. No continuity and I can hear it pretty easily. I have however heard subs work well with full range speakers to smooth the bass and augment just a bit. Anything is about proper execution a most know. Sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes.