I've never actually looked at the Audiogon forums but I've run into this function of building my system and posting it to one. This is my mid-fi computer sound system with compact parts that I've fallen in love with while working at Fry's Electronics (woohooo...)

The Martin Logan Motion bookshelf speakers are very compact and have a nice crisp and detailed tweeter. I've tested them in a very large room without a subwoofer and they have a surprising amount of low end. Great imaging as well and I love imaging. Got a decent deal at $300 a pair shipped as a store room demo off of AG.

Velodyne MicroVee is the best sounding tiny subwoofer I know of that is within reasonable cost. The small 9" sealed metal cube cabinet produces a very clean and articulate impact. The 6.5" drivers and radiators produce a satisfactory amount of volume for many spaces. It'll handle even larger rooms if you've got wooden floors. At $850 MSRP, I got what I consider a fantastic deal at $315+shipping.

The third and last component would be considered the 'weakest' in this mid-fi setup. It's a Yamaha Micro Receiver that handles amplification, aux input, CD, iPod and radio. Relatively low in the power numbers but for this setup it's just fine. Powers the Motion 4's easily and has a subwoofer preout for the Velodyne. Most of all, the size conforms to the compact form factor of my other pieces. It functions well for its size being able to handle common audio sources and drive my speakers.

The goal was compact and high quality for a reasonable amount of money. I'm pretty sure I came out on top. The sound quality is fantastic and the speakers are good enough to crank in a living room space. Another perk is that it's small enough to wrap in towels and jam in my trunk during a road trip to Lake Chelan, WA. Sound is important to me and to be able to bring it to a vacation spot is awesome.