How big a speaker? Mini Monitor? Bookshelf? Floor Model? How about a mint pair of JBL L-100 Speakers for a decent sized bookshelf speaker? (12" 3 way)
Either that, or any vintage home JBL Speaker from that period. All were very efficient. Want someting that will shake the house, and rattle the windows with great tight bass? The JBL L-200, or L-300 should fit the bill quite nicely.
The larger JBL's can be gotten for around your target price, or maybe a little bit more, depending on their condition. Maybe some folks don't really see the speakers I mention above as serious "audiophile" speakers. Truth is, not many speakers being built today are using drivers anywhere is good as those old JBL Drivers, with their Alnico Magnets, Cast Frames, and 4" edgewound Voice Coils.
One certainty with buying the vintage JBL. You purchase a pair, and they haven't lost 40% of their value 6 months later if you decide to sell.
Downside of these speakers? Size, and weight. If you cannot locally pick up, they'll cost a small fortune to ship a pair of L-200 Studio Masters or L-300 Summit Speakers. Mark
