Go audiotion some of the Phile recommended bookshelf monitors around. There are many good ones under $600 a pair including the Rega RS1s. There are plenty of decent subs for $400 that would work. Check www.jr.com for some JBL sub pricing. Find your local Rega dealer and check out their speaker line, along with those that might carry Monitor Audio, Triangle, Epos, Quad, Dynaudio, Paradigm, ETC. I would also look at Renaissance Audio models off their website. The Phile equipment guide is a great place to start.

I am enjoying 3.0 for home theater in my man-cave. I could add a sub, but have not been compelled to do so yet. The center channel does help me with clearer dialogue for movies. I am old so that is not an insignificant issue.

Magnepan MMG Loudspeakers $650 new, $450 used
http://www.magnepan.com/model_MMG
http://www.goodsound.com/equipment/magnepan_mmg.htm
http://www.soundadviceblog.com/reviews/review-magnepan-mmg-speakers/

Emotiva ERC-1 CD Player $417 new, $325 used
http://emotiva.com/erc1.shtm
http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-audio-sources/cd-players/emotiva-erc-1-cd-player.html
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cd-players/703-emotiva-erc-1-cd-player.html

Emotiva USP-1 Preamplifer $417 new, $325 used
http://emotiva.com/usp1.shtm
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/preamplifiers/689-emotiva-usp-1-stereo-preamplifier.html

Emotiva UPA-2 Power Amplifier $324 new, $260 used
http://emotiva.com/upa2.shtm
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/amplifiers/emotiva-upa-2-stereo-amplifier

Elemental Designs A3S-250 Subwoofer $350 new, $275 used
http://www.edesignaudio.com/product_info.php?cPath=2_41&products_id=892
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/subwoofers/ed-a3s-250

Delivered prices. For most music you wouldn't need the subwoofer and could add that at a later date. You'ld be hard pressed to find something that sounds this good for under $3000.

Affordable speaker brands to consider:
-Paradigm
-B&W
-Energy
-Canton
-PSB
-Magnepan (as long as you have enough power to drive them otherwise forget it.)

Electronics
-Marantz
-Yamaha
(Used products to consider, because new they'd be out of the price range.)
-Adcom
-Rotel
-NAD
-Arcam
-Creek

Quote:
Go audiotion some of the Phile recommended bookshelf monitors around. There are many good ones under $600 a pair including the Rega RS1s. There are plenty of decent subs for $400 that would work. Check www.jr.com for some JBL sub pricing. Find your local Rega dealer and check out their speaker line, along with those that might carry Monitor Audio, Triangle, Epos, Quad, Dynaudio, Paradigm, ETC. I would also look at Renaissance Audio models off their website. The Phile equipment guide is a great place to start.

I am enjoying 3.0 for home theater in my man-cave. I could add a sub, but have not been compelled to do so yet. The center channel does help me with clearer dialogue for movies. I am old so that is not an insignificant issue.

Although not familiar with most of the mentioned speakers, I'd like to add that I recently purchased the second cheapest Dynaudio speakers (DM2/7), and am very pleased with the dynamic sound and basic performance of them. The DM2/10 should be even better. I recommend a good listen, and pls remember that they need an awful lot of burn-in!

Cheers

From Audiogon today:

www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1281245147&/Heresys-heresys

Klipsch Heresys, $350.00 A lot of speaker for this money. Lets you spend money on quality sound as opposed to quanity of power.

www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatube&1281300300&/PeachTree-Nova

Peachtree Nova new model $950.00 used, tube sound,
Heres a review

www.soundstage.com/equipment/peachtree_nova.htm

An integrated tube hybrid with, A DAC, 80w output. Would make those Heresys sing, or rock!

Use your laptop for source! This would be a hell of a system for $1300.