Subtle speaker help needed

Scottht: Have you come to a decision yet or are you still thinking it over?

Going just on past experience with the quality of Denon's products, I'd consider their line at the price point you mentioned. They do offer three different home theater package systems, but the only one to meet all of your criteria is this one:

Denon's TDHT-486DV: Complete 7.1 Home Theater System

WHOA!!!! What's your decor? What's your price range? How big's your room? Why Bose? How does Bose fit with a 96-year-old house's styling? More information please.
Bill

Scottht,
How much is the Bose system you're looking at? Like, Bbroussard said, the Gallo system would seem to at least warrant looking into.

You said:

I know BOSE is a major poo poo around here. I really couldn't care either though. No highs no lows must be bose. Bullcrap.

The ONLY thing that matters in the end is what YOU think about the sound of YOUR system, not what WE think, or may believe. So I would strongly agree with your sentiment about not caring, yet I can also relate to your desire to get some ideas, and this a great place for that, as long as you have a "thick skin". The key (in my opinion) is to listen for yourself after getting some ideas, and then trust your own ears in making the final determination. Good luck in your choice, and may you be happy with your decision, whatever it ends up being.
Bill

It also may be useful to look on Videogon and Audioreview if you haven't already done so. Obviously, you'd have to know EXACTLY what you wanted and at what price before considering a site like ebay or ubid, but you could get lucky and find a great bargain (or maybe not, too...).

Another approach: See what some other well-regarded manufacturers offer as package systems. One name to consider might be Denon, which is one of the better Japanese electronics companies, in my opinion.

Scottht,
You said:

"Honestly, I think I might even be at the point where I might even go without surround speakers. It is just not that important to me right now."

AMEN TO THAT, BROTHER! I'll go ahead and open myself up to being flamed by joining you in THAT sentiment. Now, please understand that I have absolutely nothing against people who enjoy this kind of thing, AND I do NOT claim that my MY taste is the "correct" taste, but personally, I've never really understood the fascination with having sound emanate from BEHIND one's head. At any live musical performance, the sound comes from in FRONT, on a STAGE, hence the term, "soundstage." At a movie, even one in "Dolby Surround" the PICTURE is still in the FRONT, on the screen. When I've been to movies and stuff came out of the side speakers, it has usually sounded FAKE. In theaters, the sound is often "big", and seems artificially "overdynamic" ("too MUCH highs, too MUCH lows, don't know--or even care--whether it's Bose..."). To me, this sort of thing is very annoying, gimmicky, and insulting to my intelligence. (Others may disagree, and that's fine. I could easily be "wrong.")

When I went to upgrade the stereo, my wife and I were both in agreement that a surround sound system was not in the cards (yes, really, and we still are, I swear!). One big negative (aside from the above) was the idea of dealing with the cable runs, which would have had to be either across or under the floor, or along or within the walls.

The system we have is hooked up such that the speakers and sub-bass unit can be used as the audio for movies and television. Having GOOD speakers and electronics, the result of doing this was surprisingly cool (highly excellent, in fact) when we tried it about a week or two ago, and we've been doing it that way intermittently ever since. I have a 12-year-old son who used to avoid going to movies that were overly "loud." I never thought that he'd want big stereo sound with the TV. We hooked up the Intuitive Design Summits through the Odyssey's and supplemented with the Rel sub bass unit, just like the two channel setup, except without the benefit of the DAC (obviously). It was astonishingly good, and, to me at least, seemed more "realistic" than, say, a movie theater would. For example, he was watching that same movie through the stereo while I was in a different room. While the dialogue was on, I called in to his older brother for some reason, because they were talking over the movie. His brother didn't answer (he's a teenager), so I got up and went into the living room, where they were watching the movie. When I got there, his brother was nowhere to be found. It had been the movie dialogue sounding that realistic! To me, that's a MUCH better experience than artificial high end sizzle (minus the refined accuracy) and artificial low end boom.

The point: Maybe you could hook your television up to your two channel unit and get a result that meets or even exceeds your expectations, and it would be FREE! (Or maybe not--maybe you'll think that this idea stinks.)
Bill

Oh, I see.

Did you check into the Denon system?

Scottht:
It sounds like you got the upgrade bug before you even bought anything! LOL! You're obviously on the right web site for THAT mindset! Good luck in your decision, whatever it ends up being.
-Bill