under $300 bookshelfs: does excitement exist?

I liked the Athena AS-B1 the best - better than bigger brothers - had prettier mid sound. Mate it with a sony amp sa-wm500 (eBay $150), and you have a nice and full sound. I was mesmerized to hear female voices on the setup. Try to hear this combo - made me want to dance the night away - good for the exercise room.

Swan Diva M200 - comes with 36 watts/ch built in - good for computer as well - and looks good too for $250 online.