You would probably be better off buying individual components rather than a system.

You may want to look into PSB, Paradigm, Infinity and NHT offerings within your budget. As time goes on, you can expand by getting a subwoofer, an integrated amplifier and a cd player.

You may also want to look on Audiogon for used equipment. Most people keep their audio stuff in pristine condition, so you might save a lot of money by getting a used set of speakers.

Here are some links:
PSB Alpha

Paradigm

NHT

Infinity