Reddit mentions of M-Audio BX8 D2 8-Inch Active 2-Way Studio Monitor Speakers

These are what I have. They're speakers specifically designed to reproduce the music as recorded. Also, just plugging them in isn't enough, you have to pay attention to their distance from your ears, and their angle from center. The room that you're listening in has a large effect as well. My rooms are relatively square with hardwood floors and awful to listen in bare. Put a king size bed in to absorb reflections and it's SO much better.

Soundbar is such low quality, you just don't want them.

With a desktop setup, a good pair of monitor speakers would do you well.

Here's a couple good ones:

1. M audio BX 5.
   
   
2. Aperion Allaire.
   
   
3. Paradigm Shift.
   
   If your budget fits it, either of those will do. If it is smaller, than a cheaper pair by M audio should be good. Monitor speakers can still retain the simplistic look you want, they require little cables and don't take up much space. And again, a pair of bookshelf/monitor speakers would sound far better than a soundbar, I can speak for that based on personal experience and knowledge.

All good speaker options...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wharfedale-Diamond-9-1-Speakers-Black/dp/B002WJAQY2/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1502197911&sr=8-5&keywords=bookshelf+speakers

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00YAGC80A/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1502197911&sr=8-6&keywords=bookshelf+speakers

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wharfedale-Diamond-220-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B00P15KDCO/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1502197911&sr=8-14&keywords=bookshelf+speakers

These would be a great solution and no external amp needed....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/M-Audio-BX8-D2-Professional-Production/dp/B005F3H6MC/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1502198036&sr=8-5&keywords=bookshelf+speakers

You could just buy a cheap amp if the speakers are actually any good?

But on the issue of powered monitors, I'm using a pair of M-Audio BX5d2 Monitors that I really enjoy as great value for money.

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-BX5-D2-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B005F3H6Q8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417295700&sr=8-1&keywords=bx5d2

I notice the 8"BX8's are almost the same price at the moment as the 5" BX5's - making them probably the better choice for added bass.

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-8-Inch-Active-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B005F3H6MC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417295700&sr=8-2&keywords=bx5d2

I found a set of M-Audio BX-8's on amazon for just a bit over what your 300 dollar budget... Fantastic powered monitors, and lets be real here, whats more important to you, good sound or flashing lights?

They're not going to be powerful enough to play out with, but you'll get great sound out of them for every single practice session...

Current BX-8's on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-8-Inch-Active-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B005F3H6MC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377621627&sr=8-1&keywords=bx8+d2
expensive, but holy mother fuck are these impressive... the 5 inch monitors might be fine for you, but an a5+ would be the safest bet for the 5 inchers

Sorry for the late reply, I missed the notification.
Those videos were great. Christ I didn't realise how much of a difference it can make.

http://imgur.com/a/QM714 <-- this is a floor plan I've drawn of my room. It's a pretty big room I'd say; for sizes I'd say from door to window (straight line) is about 4m. Height at tallest point is about 2.5-3m. I can't get pictures of the actual room because it's at uni and I'm home now so this'll have to do. Windows are right next to mixing area basically...
I mostly make melodic electronic stuff but with quite a lot of sampled instruments (Kontakt 5). Distance from window/wall can change a little but the monitors themselves probably can't be further than two to three feet away. I still don't fully understand porting but I think I remember me deciding front was better for my setup (although I would love it was explained fully :)

My budget (including audio interface because I have a shit laptop sound card) is around £350-£400 tops. I'm currently looking at the M-audio BX8 D2s for monitors and the M audio M-track 2x2s Is 8inch too big? It is bedroom producing, but I have a decent-ish size bedroom (for England)

Hope that's everything. Thanks so much for your help :)

Edit: room size changes

1. £200-300 (UK Based)
   
2. Pair of monitors that sound clean, but aren't harsh to listen to. I won't be producing music so I'll take softer sound over clarity (but clarity is still important - as you all know!)
   
3. Speakers will be on my desk so pretty near to me. 45cm maybe?
   
4. Own a pair of M1 Active monitors but one is broken.
   
5. Source will be my computer.
   
6. It will be used for all sorts of computer-related things, but music is by far of priority. I listen to mainly electronic music (dubstep, techno, drum and bass) so I want those to sound good, but I do listen to every sort of genre so I wouldn't want MEGA BASS heavy monitors really.
   
7. I would preferably like to buy new, and from www.amazon.co.uk
   
   I checked out the JBL LSR305's as recommended in the stickied thread, but they are £177 for a single monitor, which is a little out of my price range.
   
   My friend is a sound engineer, he owns and recommends these M-Audio BX8 D2's, what do you think? I also noticed there is a BX8 D3 version - which seemingly is the latest version, for £40 less too. My friend says he remembers seeing reviews saying they're not so good, but I can't find any comparisons.
   
   

The speakers are temporary. I use monitoring headphones for listening at the moment. I plan to get these along with appropriate stands etc.