BEST SPEAKERS AT A REASONABLE PRICE

There are many issues to consider.   

- What kind of music do you listen to?
- How loud do you want to listen?
- How big is your room?
- WAF

One of my all-time favorite systems belongs to a buddy who runs a pair of late 70's vintage KEF Calinda loudspeakers being driven by a Marantz 8B tube amp.  You can find Calindas for about $500/pair, but most are in Europe.  Hard to find in the USA.  I'd run a VTA ST70 to drive 'em and they can be had in kit form for about $800, and assembled for about $1000.

But you want to run your receiver and the Calinda is extremely revealing of what an amp sounds like.  I wouldn't want to run them on an Onkyo SS receiver.

What would be an *awesome* value would be to build the SEAS Thor kit, from Madisound, for a bit less than $2500.  A similar commercial loudspeaker from Joseph Audio sells for $12,000, so you get a good idea of the value proposition there.   If you're not up for doing the wood working, any kitchen cabinet maker could knock out the enclosures for you without much difficulty and depending on your budget, could offer any number of finishes.  One friend took his enclosures to an auto body paint shop and for $500, got something which looks very cool.

Paradigm speakers at any price level blow the doors off anything else in the same price range including their subs.

$2499 will buy you a pair of the already-mentioned Eminent Technology LFT-8b, and unlike the somewhat similar Magneplanar LRS, .7i, and 1.7i (all being magnetic-planars), which are a 4 ohm load and require a considerably stout power amp, the LFT-8b is an easy 8 ohm load (better for tubes) and requires less power. The Maggies are cheap, but their power amp requirements raises the cost of ownership.

There is a used pair of Focal Aria 936 speakers listed currently on Audiogon ( not by me) asking $2,100. I own both the Focal Electra 1028be and the Focal Chorus 836v in a second system. Very happy with both. Many rave about the Aria line and the 936 in particular. Pretty efficient/ easy to drive and very musical. 
I also agree with the recommendation to get a good integrated amp. Many can be had used on Audiogon that can meet your needs for under $1,000, including a Marantz PM-8006 for $899 that will easily drive the Focals, has a pre out for your sub (may not need with Focals for music) and has a built in phono stage if you want  to add vinyl. I have purchased over a dozen items used on Audiogon and have been pleased with every purchase experience.

the Marantz, the Focals and a Bluesound Node would be quite a nice system.   
Enjoy. 

—> Monitor Audio
—> PSB Imagine 
—> Golden Ear Triton