<font color='#000000'>For Alan the $5K guy -- I assume you are posting this as some kind of test or informal market research, because no one should spend $5K on speakers casually, even the very rich, and you must enter this with some ideas in mind.
The size of your listening/HT room will play a big part here. If it's a small room, you may not even want to shoot the whole wad, as you can acheive a great set up with premiere bookshelves, which can be head in a 5.1 or 7.1 config for less than $5K, no matter what the people selling you mega-high-end speakers say.
If the room warrants floorstanders, then $5K is a nice budget.
If I had $5K to spend, right now, on a complete HT lineup, I'd audition Monitor Audio's Siliver and Gold lines looking at the largest floorstanders your room and amp can drive. (I assume the latter is not an issue if you're dropping $5K.) I love my Axioms, so can't help recommending you consider them as well -- a great 5 speakers set-up from them would be the M80s / VP 150 - center / QS8 rears, costing less than $2K. Budget at least $1K for the sub and audition Hsu VTF-3s and SVS ... with your budget it's worth considering a separate amp/bass management system for the sub, however the simplicity factor can be a strong draw, which would lead to a powered sub. You can get a top-notch one for $1000 - 1500. And I'd recommend buying subs from these companies, not as part of the line of main speakers you're auditioning, UNLESS the appearance of the sub is critical, which is certainly reasonable, given the involvement of significant others. Bottom line, you can get a great HT lineup from Axiom or Monitor (the silver series) easily for less than $5K. I don't know the pricing on the Gold series, nor have I had the chance to hear them, but it's such a great company I'd have to imagine these are beauties. Upgrading to Golds or a more expensive speaker might preclude you from adding 6th and 7th speakers for a 7.1 set-up, but frankly that ain't no great loss.
Then for a complete change of pace, consider Magnepans and Tannoys in your same price range. Avoid expensive speakers where the sub-woofer is built into the mains. I mean really, why drop a load on that? It's an 80s technology rehashed as a Best Buy marketing ploy.
You'll have to audition Axioms via mail. Monitor Audio is sold via dealers AND online. If you can audition Monitor Audio speakers via a local dealership, keep in mind the Axioms are similar to the Silver series, but less expensive and slightly less upscale in appearance - tho not bad looking. (The Monitor Audio's are very nice looking with real cherry veneers that complement about any room.)
These are my thoughts. I'd consider auditioning Paradigm References, and if you go the Internet route, Aperions, but with the Monitor Audio and/or Axioms you can't go wrong.
Birdman</font>
