What do you need to use the speakers for, and what is the source?
There are many variables, but the bottom line is that I couldn't find any surround speaker system (=5.1), powered or not, that could compare to the sound of a MX5021, before I hit a budget of ~25K. And even then I felt there was something lacking.
The reason is pretty simple. If you have, say, 12K, and need to build a 2.1 system and a 5.1 system, keeping your profit margin intact, which would you need to use cheaper components in? More boxes and amplifier channels in the same budget will obviously mean cheaper quality material in the system with 'more'. We always believer in 'less is more'.
@ranjan: I do want to hear some of the stuff your recording engineer friends are mixing. When I mix, it's always for stereo unless the project calls for multichannel (movie sound effects - not songs, SACD, or DVD-A, and I've not even done one project like that, only Farhad is working on something like that right now, not aware of anyone else). And apart from that, you do seem to have some of your facts slightly askew and though I really like your tone and passion to help, it might help to get a little more meat into your research, and not just from computer websites
@TS: I would not even bother with the Logitechs. I have managed to hear both the X540 and Z5500 at our local E-zone, and they sound just plain horrible. I'd rather not listen to music than listen to it on them. If you are hankering after surround, and are prepared to spend, I'd suggest separates. I got a Pioneer receiver and a JBL sub/sat combo for about 25K (prices for a similar combo should be around 20-22K now), which beat out the Logitechs and the Onkyo HTiB kits like the HTS-3100 etc, by a mile. Don't bother with surround systems below that price, unless you are very casual about the quality of sound.
I have recently upgraded my main rig to the Usher Mini-Dancers and some pretty exotic handmade amplification (by yours truly), along with a Buffalo DAC. The sound is pretty much the best I have heard south of 4L. I also am a musician and an amateur recording/engineering enthusiast, so I can pretty much tell good sound when I hear it. I would urge you to look hard at the MX5021, I hear they are still pretty good even after all the price and quality cuts in recent years. If you are still keen on surround, get two MX5021s and hook them up in 4.1 configuration (the sub of the rear channel will be faint). Given your listening distances, you won't miss the center speaker.