i'd kinda like to get some studio monitors

because:

• the sort of folks whom i believe about this sort of thing point out that they're an affordable way to get a very good sounding stereo system up and going
• sometimes i just don't wanna listen on the cans
• hops wants to listen with me sometimes
• sometimes i just don't wanna listen on the cans, but the cans sound so nice and my $300 HTIB sounds so bad

unfortunately:

• if i got studio monitors, i'd want to pipe the sound through my high quality dac. this is a problem because my high quality dac has one set of outputs, which is currently and forevermore connected to my high quality headphone amp. no, i'm not going to swap those cables. so i'd have to get another dac. that's pricey. the bar has been set high.
• if i got studio monitors, i'd want to pipe the sound through my high quality tube amplifier. this is a problem because my high quality tube amplifier has one set of inputs, which is currently and forevermore connected to my high quality dac. no, i'm not going to swap those cables. so i'd have to get another tube amplifier. that's pricey. the bar has been set high. also (if you're still reading this after realizing that this last bullet point is just a slightly modified copy/paste of the preceding bullet point), my high quality tube amp is a headphone amp, and has no speaker bindings.
• i'd have to re-familiarize myself with terminology and technology in the world of speakers, for example: speaker bindings. i made it sound like i knew what those were. there may be no such thing, in fact. i vaguely recall that that's what you connect your speaker wire to. but who knows?
• finally, studio monitors are meant to be positioned more or less in your face. there's no room in this room for that.
• even more finally: i'd have to listen to lots of them. that's what you're supposed to do and i'd feel a bit like a yutz if i didn't. of course, i bought my high quality dac, my high quality tube amplifier, my high quality interconnects, and many of my pairs of high quality headphones without actually listening beforehand to them, so i guess i could do the same with the monitors and not be any worse off. editor's note: i am pretty freakin happy when it comes to my headphone system. although, i could use just one more set of cans. and in another couple of weeks, i'll have the chance to listen to salsaman's system, which will be quite similar to mine but with different tube amp and interconnects. that should be fun.