There is a
Phase Dart that looks really interesting.
What about stands for those Mini Energy speakers? The look of the stands are just as important as the speaker itself.
Problem with the Phase Tech dARTS is that those systems start @ $10K and go up to $20K. They come with a 4000watt digital AMP and special, proprietary calibration software.
However, the speakers from the $10K system are available seperately and in comparison are very modest in cost. We have used the Phase Technology PC-0.5 bookshelf in several installations (larger rooms) and they are superb. I did not realize that you already had a sub and would not mindfloor standing speakers or stands. I will tweak my recommendations a bit. Here are the PC-0.5 and matching center. the 0.5 MSRP is $800 per pair and the matching center is $500. They are striking in gloss black or cherry.
http://www.phasetech.com/products.html?product_id=PC-0.5
http://www.phasetech.com/products.html?product_id=PC-33.5
Phase Tech does not make stands, so you'll have to pick out something that would fit your decore.
The Energy Mini stand is this:
http://www.energy-speakers.com/v2/products/product-pageacc.php?id=74 . I am not a fan of the speaker in this picture, but the mini goes on this stand as well. The Mini looks very sharp on the stand (available in black). Not top heavy or bulky. It's a class look.
I don't know what color would work in your room, what type of rears you'd like, or what kind of space you have for a center channel, but if you like Danish design, the new Jamo Concert series is light out gorgeous. I had stopped ordering Jamo for the past year because the brand had gotten really stale, but a rep let me try this new C803 and it struck me as an excellent speaker. So, I tried a two channel system for a client on a budget who wanted a more sculpted look and mated the C805 with a Marantz SR4021.
I really liked it. They look nice in black, but if you could do the Dark Apple color the speaker really pops! They have a black glass top that adds a beautiful accent to the Apple color. C805 MSRP is $1200 per pair with the matching center going for $500 and the rears $800 per pair. That's $500 over your budget, but you should be able to get a discount on the set. Also, keep in mind that if you do in-ceiling rears the price will drop as well. Another opton for the front would be the C803 book shelf @ $800 per pair.
Audioholics reviewed them here:
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/bookshelf/jamo-c803-bookshelf-speaker-review
Here are the links on Jamo's site:
C805:
http://jamo.com/Default.aspx?ID=5908&M=Shop&PID=17140&ProductID=17806
Center:
http://jamo.com/Default.aspx?ID=5908&M=Shop&PID=17140&ProductID=17854
Surrounds:
http://jamo.com/Default.aspx?ID=5908&M=Shop&PID=17140&ProductID=17854
C803:
http://jamo.com/Default.aspx?ID=5908&M=Shop&PID=17140&ProductID=17852
Again, very very attractive in the apple finish.
The Energy RC-30 Speaker with the RC-LCR I referenced in my earlier post would also be phenominal from a sound quality stand point. Better than the Jamo's in my opinion. But, the purpose of this thead is to blend form AND function. While built extremely well the Energy's are the traditional, "boxy" look where as the Jamo C80 line is more elegant. Again, your room may not need floor standers (most do not when paired with a strong sub), but I thought I would show you these options. I always figure that if floor standers can work in your decore and budget, why waste the space on a stand.
If you want something really quirky, look into Mirage. Be warned of potential placement issues with that line. They are nice, but not a personal favorite.
