best sounding small speakers

my vote goes to the Acapella Fidelio, the most transparent and lively monitors i've ever heard.

I second the Acapella Fidelio. An awesome little speaker.

LS3/5a

The Wilson Benesch ARC's. Made in England and made not from MDF but rather carbon fiber, just like the steath bombers. Avoiding radar is similar to sheading sonic waves. Perfect sound with plenty of base when it is real base and not boom boom base.

I have to give the nod as well to the ProAc 1SC's - I have heard them with some Audio Research tube amps doing the heavy lifting, and I could not believe the music that these little buggers put out. And mind you, it was on a very demanding classical recording - no where to hide.
Under $ 2,000 they can not be touched.

Others - like the Rogers Ls3/5A's, for example, do some things really well - like image. But for a coherent and detailed sound with enough guts to makes you think there is a sub hiding somewhere, it's the ProAcs.