Need help choosing a monitor

You can't go wrong with the Talon Khite. Another excellent monitor is the B&W Nautilus 805. Either pair should make you happy, but expect a long break-in period with both.

Good luck!

Get a pair of used Proac Tablette 50 Signatures (if you can find them)

In your price range take a listen to ACI's Jaguars. I haven't heard them myself, but I do own a pair of their Sapphire III LE which were a significant improvement over my Sonus Concertos. I have recently compared them in a friend's setup to a pair of B&W 805s, and the consensus was that it was fairly close, but the winner was the Sapphire III LE. This is what they do for $1200, I can imagine how good the Jaguars are. I'm saving my pennies.

I've received quite a few emails today from others wanting to know AV Reality's website address. Here it is:

http://www.av-reality.com/index.htm

Hi 84audio, I own the Bel Canto DAC 1.1, and also once owned a Simaudio Moon I-5. These two components were coupled together for about 6 months. During that time I also had both Sonus Faber Concertinos and ProAc Tablette 50 Signatures.

Personally, I can vouch for 74impala's recommendation of the ProAcs, however, not with the Moon I-5. The I-5 and the ProAcs both soundstage tremendously, but the lean balance of the Simaudio I feel didn't allow the ProAcs to truly shine. In you're room you may experience something entirely different from me, but while the Concertinos didn't image anywhere nearly as well as the Tab 50s, they counteracted the slightly thin sound of the Moon I-5 with their midrange bloat. I don't mean to slam the I-5 because it is a great piece, but not what I was looking for sonically. If you decide to buy it I would recommend auditioning the speakers you want with it.

As for the ProAcs. I tried them with the Moon I-5, then with an Electrocomapniet ECI-3. The ECI-3 had all the soundstaging strengths of the I-5, but without the tipped up treble. Tophats amd percussion were better with the I-5, but voices and acoustic instruments were fuller and more natural with the ECI-3. If you haven't made an integrated purchase yet, I would definitely give the Electrocompaniet pieces a listen. I feel the ProAcs are best mated to tube equipment, and the Blue Circle Audio separates I'm using now are far more to my liking than the two integrateds I've mentioned.

Good luck, and happy hunting!