@cb5300, your simple phrase "completely happy" nails it. Thank-you -- simplicity above all things.
May I add my own thoughts? (Too late to object; I've already begun.)
Speakers are great big huge, heavy, room-dominating things. Good ones with the best-built drivers, cabinetry and xovers ought to occupy 70% of your hardware budget. Given their weight, they are not easy to sell, either, so make your first shot the best one: The trucker's going to want his vig if you decide you don't like 'em. By all means, don't purchase a pair your "Significant Other" doesn't like the looks of, especially if he/she objects to sonic room treatments. Marital discussions are vital here.
There are, bless 'em, a number of U.S.-based builders of incredible speaks within the OP's budget. Much as I was a fan of my old Vanderseen 5AC carbons, they are overpriced because Dick plays the distribution network game. This is in no way intended to denigrate the Vandie sound or the integrity of his work. It's just because, at the dealer-level, you're paying double or triple of what it costs him to make his products, plus whatever he has to kick down to TAS to get good write-ups. Any component-maker who can afford a four-colour spread in TAS or one of the other snooty audiophile rags is not putting that money into my speakers.
I have, and will continue to, plug Tyler Acoustics for speaks and Don Sachs for pre- and power-amp builds. Straight from the guy who hand-built them to you, and they'll take your call on a Sunday afternoon. I'm not on either's payroll or commission-- I am just "completely happy" with what I've got. Should Ty come up with a better driver, or Don with a better-sounding capacitor set, I'll likely consider their advice. A few Franklins to experiment with their opinions beats the 2-Large you'll need to return a pair of Vandies.
May I add my own thoughts? (Too late to object; I've already begun.)
Speakers are great big huge, heavy, room-dominating things. Good ones with the best-built drivers, cabinetry and xovers ought to occupy 70% of your hardware budget. Given their weight, they are not easy to sell, either, so make your first shot the best one: The trucker's going to want his vig if you decide you don't like 'em. By all means, don't purchase a pair your "Significant Other" doesn't like the looks of, especially if he/she objects to sonic room treatments. Marital discussions are vital here.
There are, bless 'em, a number of U.S.-based builders of incredible speaks within the OP's budget. Much as I was a fan of my old Vanderseen 5AC carbons, they are overpriced because Dick plays the distribution network game. This is in no way intended to denigrate the Vandie sound or the integrity of his work. It's just because, at the dealer-level, you're paying double or triple of what it costs him to make his products, plus whatever he has to kick down to TAS to get good write-ups. Any component-maker who can afford a four-colour spread in TAS or one of the other snooty audiophile rags is not putting that money into my speakers.
I have, and will continue to, plug Tyler Acoustics for speaks and Don Sachs for pre- and power-amp builds. Straight from the guy who hand-built them to you, and they'll take your call on a Sunday afternoon. I'm not on either's payroll or commission-- I am just "completely happy" with what I've got. Should Ty come up with a better driver, or Don with a better-sounding capacitor set, I'll likely consider their advice. A few Franklins to experiment with their opinions beats the 2-Large you'll need to return a pair of Vandies.