Opinions on Onix Reference 1 monitors??

There is no comparison. The Onix is hands-down the best choice. Strictly from a build quality standpoint, nobody can compete with the cabinetry, and the driver selection at this price point. As far as the sound, again with the quality of components that go into these, they are tough to beat at the price. Excellent bass response, great tonal balance,dynamics, and all of the imaging/soundstaging buzzwords apply. I have listened to these quite extensively, and with everything from inexpensive tube integrateds, to tube separates, and some pretty high end solid state gear. If you go with these you will not be disappointed.

Check out the GMA Europa's for the same cost. Cast marble cabinets, 1st order crossovers for true time/phase alignment, exceptional drivers, designed by physics, not cosmetics. Do a search here for other owners comments....or check them out at http://greenmountainaudio.com/

I have had my Onix Reference 1 MkII monitors since February 2006, and I am amazed at how well they image and extend down to their 42Hz bottom end. The Vifa HF driver is ultra-smooth with no hint of sibilance or harshness. Room placement is critical with these exceptionally well built monitors. I have them on 30 inch Onix speaker stands and toed in toward my "sweet spot" in my 17 ft. x 12 ft. living room. I purchased these speakers with the Onix SP3 integrated amplifier for $1199 and haven't looked back since. Off-axis listening is not as good as some more expensive speakers like Tetras, but it still sounds great when I'm casually listening and moving around the room.

I have also tried using my Naim Nait solid state integrated amplifier with these speakers, and gotten very good results. These speakers are very musical, and they are very revealing of the upstream equipment like sources and amplification. I was able to distinguish the difference in DACs in my CD player and FireWire digital audio interface (The CD player won out). You definitely won't be as pleased with anything less than the Onix SP3 and a quality playback source pushing these speakers. In rolling tubes, and upgrading my amplifier and CD player power cables from stock cables to Zu Birth and Zu Bok, respectively, the soundstage has expanded and deepened and the frequency extremes have filled in more for even tonality from lows to highs.

I have compared these little gems to Joseph Audio monitors and Quad monitors, and these speakers sound very good. They do have a more forward presentation than the Quads and Joseph Audio.