Priced between $500 and $800 with Sub…
I’m also looking at a new receiver. Recommend me a brand…
^^^ Very good site, thats where I got my Onkyo set also a few years ago.
Umm… you might be able to afford some b&w bunny speakers and a yamaha reciever… Stop by Speaker Shop (speakershop.com) and they can handle all of your speakerey needs…
Panasonic full digital receiver and spend the rest of the money on great speakers.
Athenas were awesome sounding for the money. I have FS2.2’s and love them.
there is much better out there than onkyo. it’s not crap, but its not great either. i have an onkyo system in my basement, works good for what i need it for. with that price range though you’re probably going to have to look at one of those systems in a box deals, hard to piece together a good system for under a grand.
Why does everyone like onkyo? All the onkyo stuff i used was a POS… And ive had experience with it blowing up more than once… For cheap stuff, i say yamaha…
Onkyo system we bought for my Father is very nice. Ran about $800 or so for the receiver, sub, and 5 speakers.
lol really?, ive had 3 onkyo systems over the last 10 years and they all still work fine. Onkyo is one of the better HT midrange receivers out there.
i owned 2 onkyo recievers in the past, best systems for the money as far as im concerned. LOL if you say bose!!!
or sony!!!
B&W might be out of your price range, they’re 300 series are around 400 for the pair, then you have to get rears, and the subs are very pricy, but you get what ya pay for 
I ordered mine last week. Onkyo 800
edit
I guess ive just had a bad experience twice then… They look alright, and alot of people like them, so… thats good enough for me for that pricerange…
I still like my yamaha…
B@K if you got balla $$$.
very very true.
However, since he’s still setting up his ‘pad’ (apartment), I’m going to venture to say that he shouldn’t try to setup a higher-mid level install.
FWIW
$0.02
I would love to go Klipsch or B W, but I don’t get that into to it to justify it.
Onkyo FTW! I have an Onkyo with sony center and surround speakers with polk audio fronts and three polk 10" subs. Best system I ever heard was mine. . . but obviously I like more base hence the three 10’s.
I cant wait to get my B&W crap one day. I work for a warehouse that warehouses all Equity crap. I have some energy in wall speakers Ill let go for cheap if anyone wants them.
for 1200 you can do a
decent 2.1 setup.
Denon receiver, very clean and ive had very good exp with mine ive had for 8 years.
Definitive Technologies BP series speakers.
Velodyne Subwoofer.
everyone has there personal prefs. i put about $1800 into my system and its outta this world.
+1 for Denon. My father has had various Denon receivers for years, they are great, very clean power.