Need help on a set up for my 5.1?

I am pretty new to home audio. I am looking at two different setups for my living room. It is 18x18x15 cathedral. I am about 50/50 listening to music and movies. I have a limited budget but am looking at the two following systems:

System 1:

Receiver: Pioneer VSX-1018AH-K
Front: Polk Audio Monitor 50
Center: Polk CS1
Rear: Polk Audio Monitor 40
Sub: Polk PSW10

System 2:

Receiver: Pioneer VSX-1018AH-K
Front: Polk Audio Monitor 40
Center: Polk CS1
Rear: Polk Audio Monitor 40
Sub: Polk PSW110

Also, what would be comparable speakers that I might need to consider. I only kind of know the Polk brand but am open to suggestions. All of your help is much appreciated.

schroedk - Thanks for your reply. My total Budget is $1150 or less for head unit and 5.1 surround speakers with a sub. I have HD Cable, Playstation 3, and DVD Burner/VCR that has HDMI output and a Nintendo Wii, so 3 HDMI and 1 Component for hook up. Also have an Apple Ipod. I am going this Saturday to Best Buy and Circuit City to listen to what they have. All of the brands you mentioned I am not familiar with, but would love some comparisons.

I will give you a little about my listening tastes. I used to work at a car audio store back in the late 90s and have a stereo in my car now. Describing this may help with what I am looking for in my house. I currently have a Samsung HT-X70 HTIB and served its purpose for a while. It is decently loud, but just does not have the sound quality I am looking for.

In my car I have a Kenwood Excelon Head unit. In the front I have Soundstream SPL 5-1/4" components with 1" silk tweeters in the dash. In the back I have Soundstream SPL 4-1/2" coaxials. I have 3 Soundstream Exact 10" subwoofers. I have a Memphis Amp pushing 125 watts by 4 on the midrange and highs, and I have a Memphis Amp pushing 1100 watts bridged at 1 ohm to the subwoofers. The subwoofers are in a sealed box. I used to be into SPL competions, but now I just want high quality sound. I have my Fronts crossed over to 80hrz, the rear at 100hrz and the subs at 80hrz. My car pretty much sounds like you are at a concert and you can feel the music in your chest. I really want that in my house.

Also, In car stereo I was used to certain brands made good amps and certain brands made good speakers. All my speakers in my car are from the same brand. Is this similar in Home Audio?

Also, how does the Pioneer 1018 compare to the ONKYO SR606? And how does the system below compare to the ONKYO HTS9100THX for $900?

Thanks again for your help.

All systems are free shipping and no tax.

System 1 (total = $1080):

Receiver: Pioneer VSX-1018AH-K = $420
Front: Polk Audio Monitor 50 = $240 (pair)
Center: Polk CS1 = $100
Rear: Polk Audio Monitor 40 = $170
Sub: Polk PSW10 = $150

System 2 (total = $1110):

Receiver: Pioneer VSX-1018AH-K = $420
Front: Polk Audio Monitor 40 = $170
Center: Polk CS1 = $100
Rear: Polk Audio Monitor 40 = $170
Sub: Polk PSW110 = $250

I can probably up my budget to about $1300 max. Which would give some more room for a sub. I have been reading the subwoofer thread and am thinking about an eD A-300, a Cadence CSX-15, or at the max an Epik Valor. What does anyone know about their matched speakers compared to Polk?

wleehendrick - I get what you are saying. I got the 10's for $250 a piece, they are usually $500 a piece, and I paid about $700 for the amp. So, yeah it makes a lot more sense now. I think that I am getting that I can spend a little less on the rear fill with smaller speakers and use that extra for the sub.

How are eD's A3-5TC and A6-5T5 speakers?

Also how do these three packages compare? and is each one worth the increase in price? Not much difference from SVS to HSU, but a bigger jump from eD up to those two.

eD = $799
A6 - 5T5 - MTM Pair
A6 - 5T5 - MTM Single
A3 - 5TC - Bookshelf Pair
A3 - 300 Subwoofer

SVS = $1149
5.1 Surround Sound Speakers with PB12-NSD - Black*
two pair SBS-01 bookshelf speakers
SCS-01 center channel
PB12-NSD subwoofer

HSU = $1249
Enthusiast 2 with Satin Black VTF-2MK3 and Satin Black Speakers
* 1 VTF-2 MK 3 Subwoofer
* 4 HB-1 MK2 Horn Bookshelf
* 1 HC-1 MK2 Horn Center Channel

Any help on the above?

So I went yesterday to Circuit City and listened to the Polk Monitor 40's and the Polk CS1 and really enjoyed the sound. I really liked the mid bass, but the highs sounded a bit hissy, but that might have been the way the receiver was set up. They also had a pair of Klipsch B-3 hooked up and I found the the highs sounded more appealing to me, a little more warm and not as sharp on the hissy side, but their was a lot less mid bass. This should help with pointing me in the right direction. I was wondering how the Polk and Klipsch I listened to at CC compared to the systems listed above. I am really leaning towards the eD because of the price, but could go for one of the others if there was enough of an increase in quality to justify the price increase. Thanks for any help.

I also have a question about mounting. Based on the wight of the Polk CS1 I would guess that all of the other center channels of the above listed speaker companies would weight about the same. I have to mount the center above the TV, with that weight what would be the best way to mount them? The TV is in a cut out above our fireplace so there are studs in the roof of the cut out that I can access. Are there mounting brackets that could be attached to the back of the speaker? Just looking for options.