Best monitor under $1000

Rich,

You're absolutely right. What I should've asked was "Best monitor you've heard for under a grand". Your responces are always considerations to be pondered, and I should have put more thought into my vague question. All that being a given, any opinions on monitors you've heard?

I've got several ATC products (big and small), and large Apogees panels for my general listening. My ATC SCM20SL are the smallest monitor I've spent any time around (oh, and B&W 602-S3 book shelf), but are back in my home state. This will be a "hold-me-over" system for extensive business travels of months on end.

I listen to mostly Jazz of all catagories, Classical, New Age, and electronic relaxation music. I prefer a slightly warmer speaker that image like crazy. They will be placed on typical bedroom furniture (dressers, etc).

Still have any recomendations?

Also, thanks S23chang for your input, and will give them some research

I have the JM Reynaud Twin IIIs in my bedroom. Circa $800

They have a lovely relaxed sound, while at the same time providing all the usual audiophile suspects of imaging, frequency response, dynamics. They are connected to an Arcam Alpha 10 integrated and a Sony SCD-C333ES.

Regards,

Thanks Metralla, and will attempt to locate some info and audition.

Frank

I would also suggest looking into the JM Renaud Twin III's. The only thing I didn't like about them was they were made in France... I heard them in a much larger room than they should have been in, and they sounded great. I think the sales guy may have mentioned they can be power hungry, so you may want to look into that.

I have also heard/owned bookshelves from B&W, Triangle, Soliloquy... so not an expert in that size speaker, but the Twin III's did impress me a lot.

I can't be for certain that they are the "best" $1,000 monitor, but I can tell you from personal experience that the Dynaudio Audience 52 is a very good monitor speaker with surprisingly solid bass performance. You may even be able to find a used pair of 52 SE's for less than $1K. I'd stay away from the lower priced B&W's, as I think most, but not all of their entry-mid level gear is highly over-rated. I've not heard Totems or Usher's, but I've heard they are very good value's.