Afternoon guys, new to the forums, and somewhat new to HT.
My current build is:
Sharp Aquos LC46D64U
Harman Kardon CP15 HTIB 6.1 setup.

Now the receiver just went out (AVR 135) and HK is upgrading the unit via warranty to the AVR 254.

Now I have this 7.1 setup, so I think I'm going to move one of my FR/FL speakers to the open rear spot and upgrade the FR/FL to a couple of bookshelf or tower speakers.

I really love the tower speaker look. What recommendations do you have for these speakers? Since this is not a high-end setup, I was pretty sure the speakers would not contrast with the rest of the HK surround speakers.

So my budget for the floor speakers is a meager $200-$400 for the pair, but I'm sure you guys have a few ideas for value speakers.

Also, being in college, my current media room is pretty small with horrible acoustics, if that matters. It will also probably be switching around a lot in the next couple of years before I graduate.

Thanks a bunch, and I'm sure once I have everything setup I will bring a plethora of calibration/tweaking questions your way.

I believe this could be the beginning of a great friendship as I am thoroughly obsessed with A/V:)

Thanks a bunch, and I'm sure once I have everything setup I will bring a plethora of calibration/tweaking questions your way.

Wow, making threats like that in your first post. Gutsy ;)

Joking aside, welcome to AVS. I'm sure you'll find this forum both a place of enjoyment and of frustration - which of these sensations you experience most frequently is largely contingent upon your disposition :).

As far as speakers go, I'll have to start off by giving the usual warning: if at all possible, audition the speakers you're considering purchasing before you buy them. Audio is so subjective that it's difficult for people to recommend speakers to someone else. Actually, let me rephrase that: people are quick to recommend speakers but whether or not the speakers they recommend are a good fit for the person they're being recommended to is anybody's guess. That said, I suppose I can make a couple of comments.

Since you seem to be a Harman fan, you might look at JBL and Infinity. I personally own JBL speakers and while they're not exactly revered by the audiophile-snob crowd, I enjoy them quite a bit. I've found them to offer good performance at reasonable prices. A cap of $400 for a pair of floor standing speakers does tend to cut down on the options a bit, but being a college student myself I can completely understand the budgetary constraints you're up against! There are hundreds of speaker companies out there that make excellent products, but the $400 limit probably rules out floor standing speakers from the likes of B&W, PSB, Dynaudio, and many other high-end brands. JBL, Polk Audio, Infinity, and other speakers you can find in your typical big box store should all have some models in your price range.

There are also companies that sell speakers directly over the internet. They aren't available in any stores, but the bang for the buck factor is rumored to be very high with these speakers (note: I haven't heard speakers from these companies, but their reputations are very good here at AVS). Here are some of these companies:

http://**********/
http://axiomaudio.com/
http://aperionaudio.com/
http://ascendacoustics.com/
http://www.svsound.com/index.cfm
http://hsuresearch.com/

Not all of these companies sell tower speakers (or at least not in your budget), but they're all very reputable companies. I'd almost like to mention that while you won't be able to go listen to speakers from these companies in a store, they all offer in-home trial periods with money back guarantees. Some of these companies even pay shipping both ways if you decide not to keep the product. This list is far from comprehensive, but it might at least get the ball rolling. Good luck, and have fun. As you know, this is a great hobby and half of the fun is the process :)

A couple of other notes. First, are you absolutely set on floor standing speakers? Since you mentioned you're in a small room, you might be better off with bookshelf speakers. They'll be cheaper and should perform just as well.

Second, while I'm guessing you're probably planning to upgrade all of your speakers at some point, a matching center is crucial. Two larger speakers from a different speaker line will not match well with your small HK center speaker. I'd probably prefer to not use your current center speaker if you upgrade your fronts. You can try it and see what you think, but mismatched front speakers (L/C/R) don't work well IMO. You don't have to get a center right away - in fact, I'd recommend getting the best pair of fronts you can right now, and saving to get a matching center later (you'll end up with better speakers in the end). That said, the center speaker is definitely the next one I'd upgrade if I were you.

You missed the frys.com sale on the Infinity Primus 362 for $200/pair. That would of been a great bargain. If you live near a frys B&M store, go in to see if the store is still in stock. Next cheapest ones I find are at Amazon.com

Polks are another speakers that frys.com often have on sale especially the R series, Monitor series, and RTi8. Their ads starts every friday. Keep an eye on it.

If you are using this as a HT too, make sure that your Front 3 speakers match (R,C,L speakers). And having a good subwoofer will help as well.

Another budget speaker you can look into is the BIC America Venturi line at Amazon.com
A good speaker for entry level. Have pretty good ratings from owners with a limited budget.

Athena LS 500 at audioadvisor.com for $150/each but I don't know how you are going to find matching center since Athena are no longer in business.

I don't know anything about the Acculine speakers from the theaudioinsider.com except that theaudioinsider are well respected. Hopefully someone can give you more input on these.
http://www.theaudioinsider.com/specials.php

another sale currently active is Polk Monitor 50's and 60's from www.newegg.com and shipping is free.....a big deal on larger tower speakers.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=polk+monitor

I have purchased a lot of computer related equipment from Newegg and their prices and shipping are first rate.

Thanks for the tips.
Yea I've always liked HK and Infinity gear, and went with Infinity for my car audio.
And yea there is a Frys in Houston I visit as much as possible, so next time I'm there I'll have to do some audio-whoring.
I really like newegg too. My rule of thumb for any electronics is to find what you want exactly, and a price you agree with, and wait for your product to hit that price.

Also, I've always loved home audio and video. In fact, I'm majoring in electrical engineering with high hopes of maybe doing some acoustic engineering and making my own speakers. There is more than enough knowledge here on these forums so I just gotta keep researching.

Thanks again.