My preference in this range are the Event TR8s, that's what I use.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--EVETR8

Yup, me too the Event TR8's blow anything under 500$ out of the water

Though for under 700$, their big brother the Event Studio Precision 8's, would be your best bet

Agreed, if you can afford SP8s it's a better move than TR8s.

I third the TR8-N's, Love em'!
Though, yeah If you have the cash get the SP8's...

monitors

I have the M-audio BX-8s and for 500.00 dollars they"ve got the power and bottom end I want.

Brock.

They will all suck if you haven't dealt with your rooms acoustics. I haven't heard the new Yamaha's but I use the M1's and they work pretty well. Like any monitor, the key is getting to know whatever speaker you are using

krk v6s

The Rubicons have the best highs of all of em...

For $700 I'd get a nice old set of JBL 4311's, a big Yamaha amp and wail away like always.

Ive been using the alesis M1 for sometime now,and I must agree with another post I read on them some time ago,there very good for the money,,and,,there not bad enough to be the cause of a bad mix.
I too agree on the acoustics of the room.
I have concerns with inaccurate duplications of lower frequencies from my M1s,but between having a room that really doesnt meet acoustic specs,Ive learned how to use them.
In the mean time,Im waiting for my son to graduate from college so I can expand my studio!

I was poking around at GC the other day and I got to hear a pair of the new E-MU PM5's that the E-MU rep was showing off and they really surprised me. I think they are better than the same size M-Audio, Events or KRK's that I compred them too. Descrete circuits for the amps is a nice touch. Like most that have a less than 8" speaker, they are not full range but they were unhyped, tight and still sweet. I guess they won't be in GC until after Jan, but I'd keep an eye out for them and add them to the list.

http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp?category=569&subcategory=570&product=14280

I read a similar opinion from someone who saw the new E-mus at a trade show. 8-)

Calgary wrote: Agreed, if you can afford SP8s it's a better move than TR8s.

After a quick search, it looks like you can get a pair of TR8s for around $500, but the SP8s are $650 each. That's a big jump- $1300/pr vs. $500/pr. Hard to put them in the same class. There a ton of monitors in the $500 - $700 each range, among them the Mackie 624s, 626s, and 824s, and the Genelec 1030As, all of which I've heard good things about, and are not listed in this poll.

Absolutely. The SP8s are in a completely different class than the TR8s, no question. I consider the SP8s as professional gear and the TR8s as prosumer gear. 8-)

ASP-8 or Truth Audio TA1P and amp, that's what I'm tryiing to decide on too as well as the BM-15P and a used amp, it can be done if you look around and come up with a little more $. Good luck!