Best $300 Speaker Used


My dad is finally getting involved in Home Theater. He has an Outlaw 1050 receiver and is looking for the best set of mains he can get for under $300 new or used to pair with it. These will probably be mostly used for home theater together with some listening to 50s and 60s rock and roll. Size is not a real issue here. I would imagine in this price range it will be necessary to get a subwoofer for full range sound, but if there is something out there that can do it without one that would be better.

I recommended he audition the Paradigm speaker line because of their excellant price/performance ratio. What other speakers would you recommend he listen to?
gpalmer
Definitive Technology has a line of good HT speakers. It would be easy for you to add a matching center speaker later.
I've listened to a ton of speakers in this price range, hell I've owned a ton of speakers in this price range. The only one's I wish I had held on to were the Totem Rokk's. Sold 'em cuz I crushed the dust cap on the tweeter and was too lazy to fix 'em. Smooth, non-fatiguing, incredible workmanship....damn I love that monitor. You should be able to find a pair for around $400 used. I'm gonna get me another pair soon, they do a LOT of things right. Jeff
I would up the budget and go for an inexpensive used pair of Vandersteen 2 series (the best you can afford). This way you won't have to budget in a sub and though not super for 70's style hard rock they should be great for 50's and 60's stuff as well as HT. They are also easy to power and will not tax the Outlaw. I see earlier 2's now and then in the $450-$600 range and the Signature's go for more.
You can also get a new pair of PSB 5T for less than $600. These are relatively full range and easy to drive. A lot of speaker for not too much money -- just like PSB Alpha A/V.
Thanks to everyone who responded, all of the candidates sound excellent and will be keeping him busy for some time auditioning all of them. I'm pushing him in the direction of the Vandies, since they're a classic, but of course, it's all a matter of taste.

Greg