Speakers: all-time favorite

With a bias towards musicality rather than theatrics: Small room monitor: Sonus Faber Electa Amators. All around best bang for the buck: Magnepan 3.6 Best speaker short of Wisdom Audio Adrenalines: Magnepan MG20R

Apogee, Alon, Dunlavey, Martin Logan and more. Now own the Avalon Arcus. If budget allowed, the Eidolon would be my choice. If you can, check out the Avalons. As my wife continues to say, "These speakers make music!" Every time I sit down for a lengthy listening session, I'm impressed with their balance, imaging, depth, spaciousness, extreme musicality and faithfulness to the instruments heard through them, and they're easy to drive. They do it all and more. Do yourself a favor, check out the Avalons.

Martin Logan ReQuest, very musical, crystal clear vocals and more than enough punch to serve for a 5.1 system

how would you compare vandersteen to B&W? in particular, something like the Vandersteen 2ce signatures vs. B&W DM604 series 2.

Everyone has their choices and opinions. Bang for the buck speaker has to be Paradigm Studio 100's. Legacy Focus, Whisper too much bass. I mean come on why in the world do you need all those bass drivers. Their cabinets are beautiful. My favorite has to be Tyler Acoustics reference series. I have heard his monitors and Taylos. Awesome detailed speakers. A customer of his has the Legacy Focus and he bought the Taylos. No comparison!!!