The Mackies are indeed awesome. I have a lot of respect for them. YOu really should go to a showroom with some real CDs (not mp3s written as ann audio file) and lsten to each monitor in turn before buying.
My personal method of choosing speakers is to research fist on the internet, reviews, places like this - just as you are doing, take some of my personal favorite CDs as well as some well recoded ones along to the shop. I try and listen to the speakers I like and then to some that cost loads more money. Then I go back to the ones I'm interested in. I'll listen to a number of different speakers but unless I reject my original choice, I'll always comeback to it before I move on to another choice.
Bear in mind that a Near Field Monitor is not like a HiFi speaker. In a NFM you are looking for an uncolored sound at fairly high audio levels on a wide variety of music sources. Try also to see if the shop will let you exchange the monitors if, when you get them in your studio, they do not please you.
My personal choice has always been for European designs rather than Far Eastern speakers. I have just (today) biught a pair of Tannoy Reveal A5s. For me, they were a lot better than other speakers in the same price range. Just my choice though.
