Yes. CV speakers are known to be quite efficient. 80 Watts will probably be enough to drive you from the room.

Those Cerwin Vega speakers should be adequate for a first system. The model number is likely on that diamond-shaped sticker on the back. They are an older model but if the woofer surrounds are in good shape they should be OK. Pinch the foam on the woofer surrounds and if they are deteriorated they will need replacing. Try GeoAli on eBay for that. The Harman Kardon AVR154 is not a good choice for a 2.1 system. It only supplies 40 watts per channel in two-channel operation. It is not even a good home theater receiver and an even worse stereo receiver. I'd look at the Harman Kardon HK3390 instead with 80 watts per channel and plenty of functionality for a 2.1 system, including iPod and video connectivity. Better yet would be the Harman Kardon HK3490. In addition, that Polk subwoofer is subpar. I'd look at a Hsu STF-1 or Elemental Designs A2-250.

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*yeah, i know the polk sub isnt the best. but this is my first system and i dont have a lot of money to spend. it was the "best" that i could find. besides, my room is extremely small (approx 6x8ft), in fact i think the sub in a space like that may be overpowering.

If you want to save money on a sub and still get good performance then look at the Dayton SUB-120 HT Series 12" 150 Watt Powered Subwoofer it will surely beat that Polk sub.

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**what do you think of this receiver? its 80W on stereo and surround.
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/p...ab7548e0cf7en02

Not much. Is there some reason you are gravitating toward a home theater receiver if you are only building a 2.1 system? If you are thinking of expanding to a 5.1 in the future then I might consider other options, but for a 2.1 the Harman Kardon HK3390 or HK3490 would be better.

What is your ultimate objective? An audio system to listen to music or an eventual home theater? There are compromises to be made with both approaches. Expandability for its own sake will not necessarily get you what you want. So what's it for music or movies?

Do you need surround sound? Watching movies can be enjoyable with a just 2.1 system. But if you have the room for it and want the surround experience then I'd suggest asking these questions at a home theater forum like the Home Theater Shack.

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no, i dont need surround sound. as i mentioned before, this setup will be replacing my current 2.1 computer speakers.

Then you probably don't need an AV (5.1 or 7.1) receiver. Check out the Harman Kardon HK3390 and 3490.
http://hometheaterreview.com/harman-kardon-hk-3390-stereo-receiver/
http://hometheaterreview.com/harman-kardon-hk-3490-stereo-receiver/
http://stereos.about.com/od/stereoreceiverreviews/fr/HK3490.htm
http://www.testfreaks.com/a-v-receivers/harman-kardon-hk-3490/

www.jr.com

http://www.jr.com/teac/pe/TEA_AG790A/
http://www.jr.com/stereo-receiver/pe/SHE_RX5502/
http://www.jr.com/sherwood/pe/SHE_RX4105/
http://www.jr.com/sony/pe/SON_STRDH100/

Yes, it can and that is why many people spend crazy money to buy better gear. You have to balance your priorities and your budget.

Your speakers will always be your weakest link. As they get better then the flaws present in the receiver and source components will make themselves known.

The HKs are a good step up from the hundred dollar Sony and Sherwoods. I still use a older $100 Sony in a 4th system and enjoy it for what it is, a Bose Wave Radio killer.

I think its important for you to decide if you want to set up a 2 channel or surround system. If you want to start up a good 2 channel system a computer is a very poor source. A lot of newer computer games are in 5.1. However, the problem with surround systems is that the technology is always changing. New decoders become available quite frequently and most of the time that means upgrading your receiver. I think before you go any further you should decide what you would like to have for source media.

-Vinyl, Cassette, Radio, mp3, CD, DVD, BluRay?

If you choose mp3, DVD, and BluRay you will probably want to set up a surround sound system. You are already well on your way. you already have your front L and R and a sub. You would need to pick up a receiver some surround speakers and a decent center channel to compliment your Cerwin Vegas.

If you are interested in listening to viynl, CD, and radio, or just listening to music really loud, a two channel system would be more desirable.

If you choose surround sound your options for amplification become very limited. The gap between price in consumer brands and hi-fi surround sound receivers is huge. Yamaha makes some really decent surround receivers with low THD at an affordable price. Onkyo and Denon may also be in your price range.

If you decide to set up a 2 channel system the price spectrum is much broader. Vintage equipment in usually affordable and some of the old components are just as good if not better than new components in the same price range.

So.. the most important thing, like jackfish said, is to determine your long term goals. Figure out what sources are most important to you and go from there.

I just started becoming interested in hi-fi audio a couple of years ago and the best advice I can give you is take your time, do as much reading and research as you can and do not rush into anything. This forum is an excellent source and there are plenty of interested people willing to help you get started in this awesome hobby.

A computer is generally a bad source component because it is a digital device. Any sound coming from your computer will have to go through a digital to analogue conversion before its signal can be sent to an amplifier. If your sound card is integrated into your computer's mother board or is a cheap aftermarket pci card, chances are the DAC will not be very high quality.

On top of that, mp3 is a poor file format for hi-fi playback because it is compressed. If you had lossless media files and a really nice audio card your computer could be a decent source.

I think a newer 5.1 or 2.1 receiver would be a good fit for you. Im willing to bet that your computer has a digital output either optical or coaxial. If you bought a higher end receiver you could wire it to your computer through a coax or optical cable. This would bypass the DAC in the computer's audio card and send the digital signal on to the receiver instead. The digital to analogue conversion would take place in the receiver and you may be able to get some good results.

If you decide to go for a more typical 2 channel system you could set up a preamp and amplifier and run the computer to a stand alone DAC but that will probably end up being a very expensive option.

-Buying an expensive cable would not fix the problem. Good cables cannot fix a poor source signal.

I found this link, it may be able to clear up some of your questions about computer sound.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=968991