A starter surround system

[altoidboy]

[This is a partial repost -- as I've done more research I've learned more about what I'm looking for. Some of these questions are repeats, others are new ones -- sorry if you've read pieces of this before in other threads. I've now added more detail on what I think I'm looking for.]

I'm a stereo-only producer (who ends up engineering much of my own stuff) who'd like to dip my toe into surround and start getting used to it. My current stereo monitors are Mackie 824's. I know many people hate them -- let's try not to bash on them too hard. I know them well, I can mix to them well.

I could carve out a budget of around $1-2k. Here are some options I've been looking at:

1) Completing the Mackie set, perhaps using 624's as the rears. This is out of my budget for right now. Maybe I could just add the Mackie sub for now (completing a 2.1 system), and add the 624's later next year when I have the budget. What are people's thoughts on how a 2.1 Mackie system will/won't be an improvement upon my current 2.0 system?

2) Blue Sky Media Desk 5.1. At around $1000, it's in my price range. I'm a little concerned that it's a pro-sumer kind of product. Granted, I won't be mixing the next Star Wars movie. But can I get some good mileage out of a basic product like this? It's gotten good reviews...

3) Tannoy Reveal Active surround set (http://macmidimusic.com/prod.itml/icOid/6727). This is right at $2k -- the top of my budget.

4) (I'm almost too shy to mention this, but...) I do have a consumer surround system in my living room -- a $300 Kenwood from Best Buy that does have component surround inputs. I'm toying with the idea of going to the trouble of disconnecting it and moving it into the studio just to have my first taste of mixing in surround. Honestly -- I can't get any serious studio work done on it, can I?

5) Any other options within the price range gratefully considered.

The studio room is a 20x20 room, but I don't need to amplify for all of it. I work at an Omnirax-type desk, am all computer-based, so I really only want to amplify the sweet spot around my computer area -- so it's almost like having a 10x10 working area in the middle of a 20x20 room, with lots of room on the "outside" of the sweet spot. A small surround system would be just fine by me. I am all computer-based. My DAW has bass management and calibration plug-ins built-in, and my interfaces are multi-channel, so I'm really just looking for the speakers.

[maks]

im no expert but, many say its ok to use similar brand speakers of different size as surround monitors...i think you should stick with mackie since youve got a pair already and probably know them well and like them...if you were to get the other ones (bluesky's are cool, but media desk is kinda small) youd have to relearn many things and you wouldnt really be getting that much better of a speaker for that price range anyway. i think 624's are the way to go, and since mackies sub is pricey maybe you could pull it off with a tannoy sub... the other extreme route that id probably do would be to sell the 824's and start from scratch with a bigger budget...i think with that you wouldnt be too far from a genelec 5.1 setup (the smaller one ofcourse) or bluesky system one/prodesk 5.1.....i think dealers in general will give you a bigger break when you buy a complete set as opposed to individual pieces... hope that helps :)

[seriousfun]

Do not cheat yourself by choosing different speakers for surrounds - three more 824s should be an easy decision.

Get enough subwoofer to energize the room - this is the first range of frequencies where you will run out of headroom if you are underpowered.

Integrate the subwoofer with the mains with appropriate hardware Bass Management - this isn't a software issue.

The Blue Sky MediaDesk works great for a one-person monitor system. It might disappoint if you are used to the Mackies, but as you described the environment, it might be right.