Thanks for the reply. Emotiva looks really good but way out of my budget. I've stretched my budget to max for the avr (x1800h). I know I said 30k is my budget but would be happy if I get good options in the range of 25-28k.If you're mindful of your budget, I’d highly recommend checking out Emotiva speakers. Otherwise Dali. They strike an excellent balance between movie and music performance when paired with an AVR.
I'm just planning for a good setup for movie watching and music in my living room. Figured if I get the avr now, I can add components along the way over the years. Bookshelf --> center channel ---> subwoofer is my upgrade path for now.
(my living room is 22x13 and my seating is 9-10 ft from TV)
I know asked suggestions for Bookshelf but how is Polk tower speakers (T50). They are around the same budget as well but not sure about sound quality.