Quote Originally Posted by nightflier
Stereo,

I was not enamored with the DefTech bipolar speakers, especially for 2-channel duties. I'm sure they would be fine in a HT setup and provide ample bass, but they really sounded off when I auditioned them a while back.

What I would recommend in your price range is Infinity and Kef. Polk is OK (I've owned several pairs), especially their LS series, but these might be a bit out of your price range, unless you're willing to buy used. Are you?
How about the Polk RT series? I looked at the Polk RTi8s and the looked and sounded better than the monitor series. The LS series is a little more than I wanted to spend and probably a little more speaker than I need for the space I want to fill. The Phase Tech 745's I have now never really get exercised which may not always be good for the speakers in the long run,