mainstream sleeper audio products....

I've had great success with my REL sub. Hook it up to the speaker outputs on the amp and dial it in until it just "disappears". There are many monitors depending on taste and budget. Include solid stands if they are monitors. If integrating a surround system go with a receiver that has Audyssey. It's impossible for me to recommend speakers without knowing his budget and taste in music, but the REL is easy to recommend for all kinds of music.

One more call for Audyssey (or similarly auto x-over/Digital Room Correction enabled) electronics if good results from a sub/sat system are desired without real time/effort of set-up. The Harman Kardon HK 990 amp is a good alternative to an AVR in that you're buying 2 channels of high quality power amplification, rather than the 7 channels you'd get in an AVR. You're also not paying for the video capabilities, yet you get full subwoofer management and DRC.

New HK-990s are generally available <$1500 on e-bay.

Good Luck.

Marty

For speakers, I'd go with the Usher BE 718's.

Stereophile went nuts over some real inexpensive Sony or possibly Pioneer bookshelves within the last year or so. I wish I could tell you which but a search might find them for you. Otherwise there are an awful lot of decent speakers on the market you'll find many fans of the different brands in these forums. There was just a post asking for the "best" monitor, search the archives.

It was the Pioneer speaker that S'phile raved over. IIRC, under $200/ea.