under $300 bookshelfs: does excitement exist?

i suppose i can chime in on my own post...how 'bout mmg's? for 300 bucks this is definately the way i would go, if for nothing more than shits and giggles.not really bookshelves but they're supposed to be great. i don't have even close to the correct room to set them up. supposedly they're a bit tricky in this matter

Dylan, Well, for Maggies you'll have to start a new thread, you're no longer in "under $300" bookshelf speaker territory. And you're in audiophile territory as well...this way neurosis lies. Nothing can touch the A-Ts for fun factor, for other stuff, sure there's better, but not much in it's price league. For a fairer comparison, I'd personally pick the A-T AS-F2s over the Maggies any day - more bass, more rhythm, more slam, great balance and that "magic" factor - but it depends on what you like. The Maggies are probably quite good at rhythm, and will beat the A-Ts at detail. You've contracted "upgraditis" before you start?

I second Acoustic Energy..

Monitor Audio Bronze B2 can be had for $300.00 new. Very nice full sounding monitors with a wide dynamic range and high quality components. Basic cabinets keep the price down but the electronics are top notch inside.

I have lived with the B&W 303's for a long time now. At one time I actually owned three pair of them. (now down to 2) I bought them when my wife and I were in an apartment while waiting for our home to be built. At this time, I had heard my friend's B&W Nat. 805's mated with a Rel Strata III, and was intrigued by the sound. I never thought bookshelves with a sub could be so good, but his system really wowed me. Being that my budget was significantly more limited than his, I looked at the 303s and ultimately decided that for $300 I would take the plunge.

Out of the box they sound pretty sweet. Natural midrange, non-fatiguing highs, good imaging and decent low end for a speaker of this size. (100-150 hours of break-in helps things along)
My system at the time was both for two-channel and HT so I decided to ad a Rel Strata III to the mix and the 303's were even sweeter.

Since this time, I have moved into our home and set up a dedicated listening room that is strictly two-channel. Now, my first course of action when getting into the house was going to be the purchase of Vandersteen 2ce Sigs or 3A Sigs...but after landing a sweet deal on a pair of Rouge M-120 monoblocks and a Magnum 99 Pre, the 303's would have to stay even longer.

Obviously, the 303's are the "weak" link in my current system, but they in no way embarrass themselves. Job loss has forced me to delay my speaker upgrade for a while longer and it is honestly not that big of a deal for me. Once I do get my Steen's (hmmm...maybe Quattros now) the 303's will still be a part of my family as it moves into my bedroom system.

Oh, and most dealers will probably go down about $20-$30 on the price, making the 303's an even better deal.