Suggestions for pairing different speakers into a 5.1 system - $1000 budget

What do you have against complete 5.1 (or at least 5 speaker) systems?  The speakers in an HT system should be timbre-matched, and the only way to do that is to use speakers from the same manufacturer and same line.  (The drivers should be the same and the enclosures made of similar materials.)  Sub-woofers can be from any brand, and you can get away with mix-and-match surrounds (as long as they match one another.)  But the front three speakers must match in tonal character or when the sound pans from one side of the screen to the other you're going to hear a change as it moves from one speaker to another, which can be very distracting.  And you're usually better off with matching surrounds as well.  

With that budget you're going to have to compromise a bit.  In particular you aren't going to be able to get both a good 5 speaker package and a really good powered sub.  In these circumstances I would put the most money into your speakers.  You can always save your money and upgrade the sub later.  The speakers can last you a long time and you should get the best you can now.  You can get a quite good 5 speaker package for right around $1,000 from a number of manufacturers.  A good sub can set you back anywhere from $250 to $1,000 all by itself.  

Regards,

Joe

I've been very happy with a 5-speaker entry-level set from Atlantic Technology that cost me just under $1,000 when I bought it nearly 15 years ago.  (I also added one of their subs - not the cheapest, not the most expensive - for about $250 more.)  I especially like them because they do a very good job on stereo music, which many HT systems don't.  Unfortunately they don't seem to have a similar package available now.  A quick look around the 'net shows only a 6 speaker package (with their choice of sub) for around $1800, which I know is out of your price range.  As for other brands - I've seen other speakers in various threads on the forum recommended to people in your situation.  But I honestly don't remember the specifics.  Since I haven't been in the market for speakers myself for ages I feel very much out-of-the-loop on this stuff, and can't really comment on products I haven't owned or at least auditioned.  I'm hoping some other members will chime in with additional suggestions. 

BTW, I'm not so sure you should turn your nose up at an "Home Theater in a Box".  HTiB is actually a pretty broad category embracing everything from the no-name or el cheapo systems with cardboard speakers, proprietary connectors and built-in DVD or Blu Ray players you'll find at discount stores to matched combination of "real" audio/video receivers with "real" speakers sold by higher end stores and specialty shops.  The Onkyo HT-S9100THX is a 7.1 speaker package with a receiver that has nearly every feature you could ask for (including analog-to-HDMI upconversion) at exactly your price for just the speakers  (on sale now at Amazon.com.)   I can't review the speakers (which I don't think Onkyo builds itself, I think they're rebranded units from a dedicated speaker manufacturer), but I have been very happy with the Onkyo receivers I've owned.  And I've heard very good things about the speakers in all the Onkyo package systems.  (They aren't about to risk their repuation by pairing their receivers with bad speakers.)  And it has been well-reviewed, getting 4 out of 5 stars from the editors at CNET, and 4.5 out of 5 from their readers.  The editorial review states: 



Might at least be worth looking into. 

Regards,

Joe