Hello, new poster here. I bet this kind of thread comes up all the time, I'm sorry for that.

Long story short, pretty small budget, don't want to spend more than $1000 on a pair of mains and a sub. Now I work at BestBuy so I can get a discount on some Klipsch and JBL stuff. The basic rundown is:

Klipsch Synergy F-3 floorstanders, 2-way, dual-8", 1" tweeter, 2khz crossover, 150wrms, 600peak. range 35hz-23khz +-3db
bi-wire capable, I can get these discounted for $470/pair.

And then the best JBL's there are the Northridge E80's. The thing that sounds good about these is they are 3-way; dual-6", 4" mid, with 3/4tweeter, 300hz, 4khz crossovers 100W rms, 400w peak. JBL's website says 38hz-20khz +-3dB. They are also bi-wire capable
These I can get for $280/pair.

I would be getting the accompanying Klipsch or JBL 12" sub.

Foremost I'm concerned with playing music over these; surrounds and a center would come later.
But the listening environment in the store is crap, and all there is to test out are a few songs by the likes of Usher or some tripe. I listen to a bit of electronic music (not dance-floor oriented) and other things having detailed field-recording/sampling arrangements, so I'd like A) a flat and broad response (when combined with the sub) and B) clarity. Well, okay, of course, everybody wants that, no? Those are the types of music where I care most what my speakers do to the sound, but I should mention I also listen to a bit of classical and chamber music, rock bands, and hip-hop.

These are my thoughts. The Klipsch are of course big and have a higher power rating. But the JBL's are 3-way speakers, so wouldn't they be clearer, less distortion? And I know, or have been told, that a higher wattage speaker does not equal better.

Well thanks if you've read through this; now what do you say I should do? Are there better options for around the same price?