I've had more fun with my office system than any other system I've owned. It is where I had the flexibility and freedom to play around with all the variables. I would encourage you to "store" your system in a rack or at least some place open that would allow you to change components and cables without much hassle.
Now to answer your question. I'm no expert, but my experience has taught me that it is difficult to get tight bass with a punch from small bookshelves in your price range. I'm not saying that it can't be done, but that it will be a challenge and you may have to think outside the box, no pun intended. Rather than looking for front ported speakers, I suggest looking for sealed box speakers. Also, older speakers may not be as appealing as the newer ones, but they might provide the best alternative given your budget.
I once had a pair of Boston Acoustics A-40s paired with a small sealed M&K sub woofer. I was quite pleased with the sound and especially for the price. The A series speakers by Boston might be a good place to start. They were pretty good speakers in their day. I currently have the A400s in my office. They are a sealed box tower about 8 inches deep and can be placed right up against the wall. They have two 8" woofers so the bass is plentiful and tight, but they do tend to like power. When I'm in the mood for rock and jazz, I make sure the A400s are hooked up.
Another speaker I've used which I enjoyed for jazz (especially) and rock was the Polk Monitor 7B. Again, it was a sealed box but it utilized a 10" passive woofer.
Trying connecting with some audiophiles locally. Most audiophiles have unused speakers in a closet somewhere, and some might be willing to bring them over to your place for a listening session.
Finally, you might want to consider another option; combine your amp and speaker budget to purchase active speakers. I have no experience with active speakers, but the concept just seems to make sense, especially for smaller budgets. If studios are using them to produce the music we listen to, why wouldn't it make sense to use them for playback in our own settings?
Enjoy the journey!
Now to answer your question. I'm no expert, but my experience has taught me that it is difficult to get tight bass with a punch from small bookshelves in your price range. I'm not saying that it can't be done, but that it will be a challenge and you may have to think outside the box, no pun intended. Rather than looking for front ported speakers, I suggest looking for sealed box speakers. Also, older speakers may not be as appealing as the newer ones, but they might provide the best alternative given your budget.
I once had a pair of Boston Acoustics A-40s paired with a small sealed M&K sub woofer. I was quite pleased with the sound and especially for the price. The A series speakers by Boston might be a good place to start. They were pretty good speakers in their day. I currently have the A400s in my office. They are a sealed box tower about 8 inches deep and can be placed right up against the wall. They have two 8" woofers so the bass is plentiful and tight, but they do tend to like power. When I'm in the mood for rock and jazz, I make sure the A400s are hooked up.
Another speaker I've used which I enjoyed for jazz (especially) and rock was the Polk Monitor 7B. Again, it was a sealed box but it utilized a 10" passive woofer.
Trying connecting with some audiophiles locally. Most audiophiles have unused speakers in a closet somewhere, and some might be willing to bring them over to your place for a listening session.
Finally, you might want to consider another option; combine your amp and speaker budget to purchase active speakers. I have no experience with active speakers, but the concept just seems to make sense, especially for smaller budgets. If studios are using them to produce the music we listen to, why wouldn't it make sense to use them for playback in our own settings?
Enjoy the journey!