I agree that some will say that a 2.1 (bookshelf + sub) will beat floor standers. and yes, others will say that you need a sub even with good floor standers. It should not matter if you have a 2.1 or 2.0 setup. With proper placement and calibration, you should not be able to tell that a sub is present at all. Its a matter of taste and sure some will say you are not an "audiophile" if you run 2.1, but they are they ones you can ignore.
Many people equate cost to quality and forget the rule of diminishing returns. 3K-5K for speakers alone was that I was thinking. Because in this price range you can get speakers that have great performance (25-20000 Hz +/- 3dB), and with careful placement and acoustical treatements you can put together a 20-20000 Hz +/- 3dB setup. or 15-20000 Hz +/- 3 dB with a sub ;-)
IMHO, room acoustics plays a much bigger roll in how a speaker will sound in your setup than most people realise.
