After seeing and listening to the about to be released
ELT speaker system from AV123 at Dallas a couple of weeks ago, they have become my favorite in this price range. They come at at $900, only leaving $150 each for a DVD and receiver, which is doable, but you should plan on upgrading them in the future. Another option would be start with the two main speakers and center to begin (I think $500) and add the two surround and sub as your budget allows.
I’ve listened to these quite carefully and they are very find at this price point. And I think the best cabinet workmanship that I’ve seen (at this price point).