To start a mix, it's more important to have a system that you know well, than it is to have the world's most expensive speakers. Many hits have been mixed on classic Yamah NS-10's which retailed at well under US $500 for a pair. The general consensus being that if you can get a mix to sound good on NS-10's, it would sound good anywhere. The first step is to listen to as many professionally done recordings on your speakers as you can so that you can hear how things should sound on YOUR speakers and in YOUR listening environment.