Desktop speakers for mixing AND music?


It has been a long time since I posted here, but only because I have been living in audio bliss. My two channel system is perfect (for me). Refurbished HH Scott 222 (not Mapleshade), Omega speakers and an iMac with a 2 TB 7200 rpm drive serving up about 600 lossless CDs to my Schiit Bifrost. My movie/tv set up is fine too - older B&W C series all around and an older Rotel AV receiver that (knock on wood) won't die.

However, now I have a minor problem. I have a third system that is in the works. My home office desk. Yet another two Macs are set up with a Steinberg UR22 audio/midi interface I use with Logic, Final Cut and more for recording, including music, voice, interviews and for video, though not too serious. Now, I find myself wanting to listen to music here too. So, what kind of speakers should I get? Can I get monitors that also are great for casual listening? Right now I only have the iMac built in speakers (I know...) and a pair of Audio Technica M50X headphones (in effect my Steinberg UR22 audio interface is my "headphone amp").

If I am going to use this as a true studio set up, many people are recommending monitors made for this purpose and people seem to really like JBL LSR305 5" Active Studio Monitor‎s. I can get a pair at about $300. However, it really isn't a studio as much as it is a place to work, so should I be thinking of something else? Dare I go passive and try to get some kind of little power amp? Can I do this for $400ish (and I am open to used). I do have a very old (90s era) pair of passive Tannoy monitors, but they are kind of big and I don't have a spare amp. I'd hate to go buy an amp and not be happy with the Tannoys...

However, if I go the more "audiophile" route, I might I have better sound, but not a good reference source for mixing. Right? Or am I being ridiculous? Any suggestions highly appreciated. Remember, budget of, let's say, $500.
karavite
Did you check M-audio studiophile? They're perfect for mixing and sound terrific for its size.
I wouldn't even look forward for passives at all.
If you haven't already, I would think about where you are going to put them. There are good places to put speakers in a given room related to the room dimensions and it is extrememly unlikely that optimal placement will be on a desk. Been there, done that. So you may end up, for sound quality reasons, with your desk in the middle of the room somewhere...with speakers somewhere between the front of your desk and the front wall, on stands. So factor stands into your budget. Make sure they are the right height. You could also go the "home brew" (or used equipment) route for stands.

You could be making a mistake by buying too small a speaker and deciding to get something bigger later. Also been there, done that (Yamaha HS-5-->Yamaha HS8). It is better to get the right speaker the first time instead of hoping to add a subwoofer later. IMHO the HS8s are fine for casual listening which is how I use mine, in a dedicated listening room the size of a master bedroom. They have more bass and loudness than the HS5s but the HS5s worked pretty good right on my desk, which was up against a wall.

I heard the JBLs in a music store and (like the Tannoys I also auditioned) they seemed to produce a bit too much "self-noise" in my audition, but YMMV.

Other than Yamaha HS Series, I was also going to check out the following, but never got around to it: Mackie MR8mk3, Event 20/20BAS.
I had 2 pairs of M Audio powered monitors for use on my and they both went bad with low hours on them. You would probably like KRK. I don't know if they are the best, but I can't see doing that much better for the same money.
See if you can find a used pair of NHT M00 powered speakers. They have TRS, XLR, and RCA input and switchable near field and mid-field equalization and they sound very good indeed.