Yup. Budget. Then speakers.
Knowing the problems inherent with the Polk designs, I would move on from them.
For all the options available, I concur that getting out and listening to speakers is important. You need to be able to identify what sound qualities you like. Then budget accordingly to avoid a lateral upgrade. If you are going to spend the money, then best buy something that will tide you over for the next 10 years!
Beyond that, reading reviews (with a grain of salt...) can be a great way to learn, not to parrot what the writer says but to learn the vocabulary so to speak:
See what they say about a speaker, compare that to other reviewers opinions, read the reviews for the speakers that are used as comparisons, listen and cross reference with your own experience, and so on.