Looking to build a system for under $5k

It seems to me that the OP wants to get a good system without having to go through the somewhat lengthy process of educating oneself in audio.  And I can sympathize with the reluctance.  After all, look at the diverging opinions in this thread alone.  Perhaps the OP is pretty busy too, it surely happens.  

I'll add my disagreement and say that I think that 5k is a serious chunk of change to spend on a first system.  Also, the room is cozy and not huge, which dictates things somewhat.

One other item is that the OP will have preferences in regards to sound that he apparently does not know about yet.  So, step one should be the speakers, and with music one is familiar with.  Audition the Vandersteens mentioned in post one.  Compare them with others to get an idea of what sounds best.  

I'm not convinced that the Vandersteens would be the best speaker for the types of music the OP prefers.

Audionoobie - another option (as opposed to a high end audio show) is a mini vacation to a major city such as NYC.  Within 50 miles there are multiple dealers representing a wide variety of brands.  You can visit their listening rooms where, chances are, you can see gear in your price range and hear them in a more optimal listening environment.  Pair this with some tourism and a few top restaurants and you will have a pretty good time (I took my own advice last summer).

@ sjtm- I did that a few years ago, flew out to Seattle for a four day weekend and visited every hi-fi shop in the city. Good advice.

An audition is always best. There will be there will be some shows coming up soon depending what area you are in. I joined a local audio club recently and they are always showing different audio products at the monthly meetings. There are only a few real audio retail storefronts lefti these days.

Lots and Lots of advice.  I did not read it all but I would say start with older components.  There are so many great speakers that were considered very good 7-10 years ago that you can find.  Aerial 10Ts, B&Ws, Kef 105s, Kef 104s, Alons, and Vandersteens, etc.  They are great for your type of music.  There are a ton of amp options that will give you great sound, from NAD, Rotel, (too many to name) on up, I would find one of these amps that can power the speakers you settle on.  Spend money on the source.  IMO this is the key to getting the best sound.  You want a 10 sound you need a 10 source not the other way around.  Consider SS preamp or tube preamps (Counterpoint, ARC, CJ) depending on what you prefer.  There are so many good preamps in either camp that you can find used.  This will keep you within budget and you can swap out buy/sell without money issues as you move forward.  I have a friend who goes to estate sales.  He finds older gear at CHEAP prices.  For example B&W DM2 speakers for $40/pair, KEF 105s for $50 pair.  Hard to beat the sound of these for the price.  Happy Listening.