??? How Much Would You Spend ???

@freediver "smallish room" (whatever the hell that means), "no eye towards any future upgrade", etc., my recommendation would be to start with matching the power source and speakers.  You'll have to juggle the ratio on that one.  However, that being said, I'm fairly certain you'll end up spending more on speakers, any way you cut this cookie!  Speakers, after all, are the business end of any sound system.  As to how much to spend, and what the ratio will be between power source and speakers?  Well, that is a decision only you can make.  What to buy?  Again, only our ears can tell you that.  Let your own two ears and your wallet guide you.

'smallish' room, what I would do

1. liberate myself from the spell in question

2. buy some pair of active speakers including stands (e.g. Edifier, Klipsch, Argon)

3. place them correctly

4. if necessary (and if even possible in a small room), think about room treatment

5. enjoying the music

4. be happy saving big money which I can use for my 'real' listening room' or just buying some really nice cases of Shiraz

Headphone rig. 

It's really hard to answer this question without knowing what level of performance you are after and what your budget is.  I def agree that speakers are the most important item in shaping your sound so invest there.  Next comes source, then pre and finally amp in my experience.

If budget is tight, look at a good used integrated, Gryphon Diablo comes to mind but may be too much.  Pass, Ayre, and many others make excellent options.

There are also many very nice DAC's that have good integrated volume controls and streaming capabilities.

My reply probably didn't help much but there are lots of paths to consider depending on what you're after.

Good luck!

Advice is only possible, if you reveal what speakers have spell bound you.