There are lots of good options in that price range and if it isn't possible to audition them you can, instead, do as much reading on this and other sites as possible. If you read enough you'll eventually get a second-hand consensus view of the general character and value of a particular brand and/or model. It takes a lot of time to do it that way but I've done it and never had any nasty surprises.
The other part of that strategy is to stick with a well-known brand that seems to have a solid reputation and buy used at what your research has taught you is a good price. Then it's possible to experiment and resell if you're not happy, often without having it cost much more than the shipping.
In your price range I've owned and been very happy with ProAc, Soliloquy and Meadowlark. I've also owned Thiel and Monitor Audio speakers in that range that have been less to my liking, though many people love them and my preference is purely due to my particular system and taste.
