I'd forget about what people talk about reference systems and think about your own situation.
How much space do you have? How much are you able to change the room? Do you have a good place for the sub? How do you listen?
The truth is that getting excellent, deep bass (i.e. reference level) is hard work. The dragons are in the lowest two octaves of the room. A "reference" system may cause you more problems than you imagine, but a satellite/subwoofer system, properly integrated with the room can be pretty magical.