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The philosophy of a (good) mastering house is just that : get very accurate speakers, that can tell you what's going on precisely.
They cost a lot because such accurate speakers are hard to make. Not because they are sounding good. Most people that are used to a "good" system will even say speakers used in mastering houses sound dull. Like I said, their aim is to show you the truth, not embellish it.
Good mastering houses use subs too. Because frankly, most 2/3-way speakers can't handle the very low frequencies there. Again, a good sub can cost quite a bit (sometimes even more than the main speakers), because the conception of those is also very difficult, especially when they need to be accurate.
In fact, when I see those home cinema packs they sell in the shops, I gotta laugh. Usually the sub is just a tad bigger than the main speakers, and it's very light (not to mention that they have, what, an 8" driver?). A good sub needs to be heavy (low frequencies, vibrations), and the volume (as in size, not sound volume) should be well controlled.
But, to answer the question, how to know if your speakers are accurate? Well, only time and experience can tell, that's it. You think those mastering engineers bought speakers worth a shitload, just because they heard a friend tell they sounded "da bomb". No, they spent years training their ears (most mastering engineers have had a career as recording or mixing engineer behind them), and they know what to expect from their speakers. After all those years they may be able to make a judgement on which speakers suit them best, but even then they need some time to "learn" their speakers.
Let it also be known that usually, monitors used in a recording/mixing studio are not the same as in a mastering studio (not the same aim really), but the problem remains the same, you need to know your monitors/room inside out. Listen to as much material as possible on them, and make notes. Once you know their flaws and good points, your job will be easier.
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