<font color='#000000'>Can't imagine most decent speakers being either over-or underpowered by your receiver unless you have a really big room and need to crank the volume way up, but $250 is...challenging. But while that budget is a long way from high-end, you can still find speakers that don't suck.
Find the recent Consumer Reports issue that did speaker tests & check out their recommendations; also see the "entry-level" models from companies often mentioned here such as Axiom, Paradigm, PSB, and so on. I like Cambridge Soundworks for good modestly priced speakers, too. Infinity gets a bad rap but all of the current models from entry-level to oh-my-God were developed under the watchful eye and ears of Floyd Toole who is one of the gods of speaker design; haven't heard them but they might be worth a listen these days.
And look at buying used. Good way to step up. Kind of like buying a late model BMW when you can't afford new. All you lose is the depreciation!</font>
