speaker/monitor question

[Nemoguitt@aol.com]

i know i asked this a while back, but yesterday, i actually had to plug 
into 
an old fender champ and a small crate amp, seeing that my stereo speakers 
have finally given up the ghost, besides sounding bad, it was way too loud 
(not for me, but the rest of my family)........yes, the power mackies and 
jbl 
eons  may be most wonderful, but i can only get together $300-$400 for a 
set 
of speakers and i am not afraid to spend less.....:)........i have always 
used 2 mismatched old klh stereo speakers and these were fine for mixing 
my 
music.....i have never used "monitors" per say and wonder if it is 
necessary 
to go there, is the difference that great?.......also, i have been using a 
very old pioneer "receiver/ amp" to power my system and the question is 
always there, would a better amp be part of my solution?.......keep in 
mind, 
that i never play out and my main goal is to get good recordings of my 
music.......any ideas would be most helpful.........thanks 
much..........(forced to listen thru headphones).........michael