Hi there,
First of all, please be aware that you will receive as many different responses as there are combinations of gear that work, or not, for each and every member of this group of aficionados!
The first best advice is to try as much as possible to test whatever equipment you have access to in YOUR setting/room, with YOUR associated gear (electronics, music, etc.).
Of course, that is never easy, especially if you are looking mostly at used gear, to be as cost efficient as possible (as I am, BTW...).
Secondly, to elicit the best possible advice/guidance, please provide as much information as possible for our members to understand your specific circumstances and needs/wants:
1. Current setup: what do you like about it, what you don't like, what you eventually wish to improve, etc. Don't be shy, provide us with a detailed listing of your existing equipment.
2. Clearly state what you are looking for in your setup: aiming at critical listening at low-medium volume, or a party setup for casual listening and the occasional dance party/rock out session? You might be looking for a combination of both...
3. What type of music do you listen to mostly? at what volume? Do you have a taste for heavy bass, silky mids, sparkling highs, etc?
The thing about this hobby, like most things in life, is that there are a thousand ways to reach your objectives, and you'll probably end up trying several different setups before settling in with one that constitutes a happy medium for YOU.
I'd start with learning about speakers being available at and around your budget point, which by the way, is already quite good.
$2K will give your access to a very large variety of speakers, especially if you are willing to go the used route as well.
I'm really curious though, to best orient you for now, I'd like to know what electronics you have on hand, your music tastes, and your listening style/habits.
With this basic first information, many of us here will be in a better position to make suggestions, share experiences, providing you with the most useful input possible.
For example, I could talk to you about one of my favorite current setups, which also happens to be one of the most affordable: Magnepan LRS + REL T5/x subs + Rogue Audio Sphinx v3 integrated amp + Anticables. The total cost for that setup was less than $4K and it sounds DIVINE!
Not the loudest, but setup correctly, with appropriate care to room acoustics as well... I really don't NEED to buy anything else! But I still do... that's a whole other story about this hobby!!
In any case, I hope the above will be useful to you in your search for good sounds, and look forward to reading more from you as you move forward in your quest. Have a great weekend!
