Without subs, the Athena Technologies Audition line sounds great: open, clear, dynamic and fast, and perhaps better at timing than anything else out there. And decent bass too. These are the descendants of the Sound Dynamics RTS-3s Harry Pearson went on about (and while you must suspect him of being full of crap with regards to expensive equipment, why would he rave about cheap equipment unless he was honestly impressed?) They were good enough that I retired from the "High-end" bullshit, except insofar as my vinyl rigs go.