Best Bookshelf/Monitor in $2000 range??

JM Reynaud Trentes are really really good and easy to drive, warm and super detailed at the same time with good balance and full bass.

I am not a big fan of the B&W 805's. They are too limited in bass response for me and there seems to be a disconnect between response of the wonderful tweeter and the mid/bass driver.

For $2000 you may be able to find a used pair of Dynaudio Contour 1.3 SE's. I had the 1.3 mk II for over a year and I was very impressed. Very good lower end response with the right amplification, etc. These are 4 ohm, current hungry speakers. The tweeter in the SE should be an improvement over the one in the mk II. Very good on many different types of material.

Totem Signature 1's are a good choice, as are the ProAc Tablette Reference 8 Signatures, which I slightly prefer (and own).

Speakers I am familiar with:

B&W 805 - I did not enjoy listening to these speakers. Very fatigueing - the top end was not pleasing. My least favorite speaker of the bunch.

JMR Trente - Very nice speaker. Philjolet's experience and description matches mine.

Totem (not sure which model) - Too polite. Did nothing wrong, but didn't have fun with the music.

Dynaudio Contour 1.3se - These are the pair that I ultimately bought, after listening to the above-mentioned speakers. Seem to get everything just right - top end is lively but not overbearing, and the bass is well-controlled and relatively deep. The midrange, though, is the speaker's best quality - the speaker does a good job with harmonic textures.