That's the thing , I've now been in 2 home studio's with the HS8's and I also demoed them in a store once where I got to compair with a bunch of other top selling brands. By far the worst that day where those yellow coned Rockets. I found many monitors where way to bass heavy. I've just never seen or heard the MS series. They look totally different and they are not as powerful
but who knows, they might be great,, I would have to demo them.
I get a magazine called Professional Sound and they review one or two Canadian studios each issue. You see the Genelecs and the Yamaha's HS series a lot. Of course you see more of the NSM 10's too as well as little Auratones.
FYI soffit mount speakers are not near field. They are BIG speakers and made to crank it up. That only works in a REAL control room with the traditional layout with the listening position mid room. I sort of have the same idea with my Alto TS 112 PA speakers up on stands. I proof my backing tracks with those.
The original idea of a Near Field Monitor was they go on what was once called the meter bridge which was of course mid room so always at least 3' to the glass wall looking into the live room. I would guess this was to avoid listening fatigue from the mains.
Don't rule out rear porting speakers just yet. I'd did a lot of reading yesterday and lots of people using rear ports and some very close to the walls. I looked at my friend set up last night and his HS8 are about 16" from a very very dead wall. His mix position is in a 8' wide space and the front wall and sides walls for about 6' are 4" rock wool covered with loose knit fabric.
I found a few threads on Gear Slutz with the topic. Plenty of people using Genelecs and HS-5 or 8's near walls. Most had treated the walls. I was going to treat my wall anyhow.
Another comments I read - many found with the smaller speakers, like the HS5 the bass enhancement was actually welcome and these people were having no issues at all with mixes translating to other playback systems... the bottom line with monitors.
So myself I am not turned away with my choice of the HS8. But I might even look at the HS 5 as being more appropriate replacement for my NSM 10's.
And I will look at other monitors when the time comes, but after that first test I did I will want to repeat that in a store again. Trouble is each store in Vancouver carries only some brands.