Another option is studio monitor speakers. They tend to perform better than HiFi speakers on a desk because they are designed for close listening and perform well at lower volumes.
HiFi speakers still will sound good when used on a desk, but their ideal placement tends to be when they are given more open space with the listener sat further back. They generally sound better when turned up and can fill the room with sound, which is certainly more comfortable when you're sat back a few feet, rather than sat close getting your ears blasted with louder volume.
One of the advantages of studio monitor over HiFi speakers, is that active/powered ones (most common) have the amplifier/s built in. HiFi speakers being passive need an external amp. Integrated stereo amps are quite large slabs of metal and electronics, so for some people especially using them on a desk, space might be a bit limited. Some people get round that by using a small T amp, which is a great way to use passive speakers on a desk with no room for a large amp. They are best paired with budget speakers though. If you're spending a few hundred on speakers, they really deserve a decent full size amp.
Two very good but well within budget studio monitors are; JBL LSR305 and Tannoy Reveal 502 for around £250 and £350.
You could easily spend more though on something like a pair of Adam's. They can get expensive pretty fast though.
For HiFi speaker brands; Wharfedale, Mission, Mordaunt Short and Q Acoustics produce very good speakers in the region of £100-£200. Monitor Audio, KEF and DALI generally sit a bit higher up and have a wider range of offerings, from budget to a bit more expensive. Bowers and Wilkins (B&W) are a bit more expensive again. All produce very good speakers though in the price categories they sit in.
Denon, Marantz, Cambridge Audio, NAD, Yamaha, Pioneer and TEAC all make decent amplifiers. £130-£200 will buy a good budget one.
There is no right or wrong choice when it comes to which type of speaker to go for; as with nearly all things to do with audio, it's about personal preference. Some people prefer HiFi speakers because they tend to have a more coloured sound compared to studio monitor speakers, which are designed to be more neutral. Some people prefer more neutral sound, whereas others find studio monitor speakers lack excitement.
Without listening to both types, it's hard to know which you will likely prefer; but it's a lot easier to go and have a HiFi speaker demo though. Studio monitor speakers are probably only sold in specialist music stores, which are fewer and further between compared to stores like Richer Sounds, etc.
