[traehekat]

Any suggestions for new monitors? I would prefer something that has about the same amount of bass the A5+ provide on their own without a sub, but with a little more detail and clarity in the highs. Budget would be around $800 but would be willing to go to $1000 if that's what it will take. I don't even know if they make a ton of $1000 monitors - would I be looking at floor speakers at that point? 

 

[adupree]

I'm assuming you mean $800-1000 for the pair and not each, correct? Also do they need to be active, or do you have an amp you can drive them with?

 

[traehekat]

  I'm assuming you mean $800-1000 for the pair and not each, correct? Also do they need to be active, or do you have an amp you can drive them with?

Yeah for the pair. Would need to be active. 

 

[adupree]

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/2020BASpr/
 
http://www.equatoraudio.com/D8-Coaxial-Studio-Monitors-p/d8.htm

 

[BigTerminator]

You want powered studio monitors. I wouldn't recommend getting loud speakers, especially if you have to amp them yourself. First things make sure you have a DAC that is up to snub to bring out the most of the speakers you want. I personally use M-Audio BX5 D2's with a sub and the Asus Xonar Essence ST and it sounds heavenly. But you have more cash so I would look towards the Adam Audio AX5, Genelecs, Dynaudio, Yamaha. Trust me, there will be $10,000 monitors so you don't have to worry about surpassing them budget wise. I would recommend getting a sub woofer because the bass will be much better and substantial and you will let the monitors focus solely on the mids and highs. There a ton of $1000 monitors and you'll really have to look at tons of forums and reviews to make the best decision for yourself. Either way you should be blown away with the upgrade. 

 

[coolguyalex]

For something a little different (not monitors), the KEF X300As are worth a listen. Otherwise, I second the Adam and Dynaudio recommendations

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  Any suggestions for new monitors? I would prefer something that has about the same amount of bass the A5+ provide on their own without a sub, but with a little more detail and clarity in the highs. Budget would be around $800 but would be willing to go to $1000 if that's what it will take.

Upgrade here doesn't need to be more expensive than the last equipment you had. The Swans M200MkIII were a lot clearer than the A5+, and for my music can do without a sub. That includes some house music (that's about as electronic/dance I go though). That's the best of the more consumer-oriented (convenient master-slave set-up) monitor in their line; the better ones are already the X-series that mount an amp in each speaker that requires a preamp for convenient, synchronized volume control. I haven't tried the Aktimate Minis but they have great reviews; there might be a comparo between these two speakers somewhere.
 

  I don't even know if they make a ton of $1000 monitors...

 
Some pro models go well over that but you'd need a preamp for convenient volume control:
 
Genelec 8050A
 
Dynaudio BM6A
 
Focal CMS65 (looks like it's for a single monitor)
 

  ,,,would I be looking at floor speakers at that point? 

 
You can get an integrated amp and passive monitors. One thing about floorstanders, in particular those with three or more drivers, is that you need to have a lot of space in order to have less variance in distance from each driver to your ears so as to prevent localizing the sound source. Back when I had Diamond 8.4s in a small room I can clearly hear the bass coming from lower than the midrange, and cymbals a lot higher. Initially I thought, "wow, the cymbals are higher and the bass drum is lower!" was "accurate," until I listened to opera and the bass notes were clearly coming from below with the soprano's voice above the others. Moving my chair back by about four feet or so (total of about eight feet away from the integrated amp and CDP rack, with speakers flanking them and each about three feet from the rack) and just increasing the volume a couple of notches (on the NAD304 volume control) solved the problem.

 

[astrallite]

Get Genelec if you want pure FR accuracy, although it Genelec has a slight reputation for honkiness.
 
Focal measures well FR-wide, but use of metal drivers for nearfield especially aluminum may cause some hearing fatigue over long listening sessions.
 
Dynaudio is generally regarded as smooth with a small bass bump, may be the easiest to listen to over long sessions although FR-wise might be least accurate.
 
A T-amp and an NHT Classic 3 or Ascend Sierra-1 or 2 would probably outperform any of them in pure measurements but would have less transient response due to crossover losses from passive design. The thing is the main cost of active speakers is the active crossovers, DSP, enclosure, and built-in amp; the drivers are usually much lower. Dynaudio for example uses the same drivers in their under $1000 speakers as their $5000 active AIR speakers, and the drivers in their passive flagships are miles ahead of their active brethren, but the flip side is less dynamic sound from say, a 6db/octave passive crossover vs a 100db+/octave active crossover and DSP.

 

[adupree]

Genelec and Focal are both more than he is wanting to spend.