@Samson, I didn't consider durability. That makes a lot of sense from a business standpoint.
I've had mixed feelings about JBL, I know they make some really exceptional stuff...I've also purchased some really sub-par stuff of theirs that left a bad taste in my mouth. I guess first impressions are strong, I would be willing to give them another shot if I found something that sounded great though. I like the idea of studio monitors, but my wife's tendency to put on crappy quality streaming music really scares me about how unforgiving they can be.
My Uncle has a pretty nice setup consisting of mostly Carver components and some Bang and Olufsen speakers. Strangely enough I think the B&Os hold his setup down a little. They seem to be more about design than sound quality. Don't get me wrong, they sound good...but not nearly as good as they should for their price tag.
@Ziggy, I used to have a link for a DIY on making some pretty amazing thick gauge speaker wire and interconnects for a fraction of the retail price using power cable. I'll have to try and dig it up. I was really tempted, even though my soldering skills are weak.
I agree though, it is a sparse land between bottom of the barrel and supremely expensive. Speaker manufacturers have made some strides in trying to bridge this gap, but nearly everything else in your system will come with extraordinary compromises. I think this is why vintage gear gets so much attention these days, you can attain a level of quality that would cost you many multiples if you purchased new.
@TSTR, I really want to get a 2 channel going for my music. Well, 2.1 technically since I don't plan on dropping the kind of money necessary to get floor standing speakers in the quality bracket I'm looking at.