hey vdogg, sorry i totally misread you in the other thread, i'm not usually such a dick.

as to your search for an HT system, the best you can do in selecting anything in audio is to hear it for yourself. listening to as many different systems as you can will help you figure out the type of sound that you prefer. if any system(s) stand out from the others, and they give you a sound that you really enjoy, your search might end right there. otherwise you can check the "usual suspects" that represent quality and value, available through online outlets (in no particular order):

Denon
Axiom
Onkyo
KEF
Boston Acoustics
Cambridge Sound Works
Harmon Kardon
Infinity
Klipsch
plus a slew of others that i have no doubt forgotten.

i dont have any idea how good they might be, but Mission and Mirage have some systems that use the small cubes. i would imagine they are at least as good as the Bose system you heard and cost much less.

my HT set up is a very modest 2-channel system made up of a $15 Radio shack Accurian T-amp and a pair of vintage Advent 5002 two-way speakers i found for $15 (i had to replace the surrounds which cost another $15). this little set up does an amazing job with movies, tons of impact and dynamics, with a surprisingly high level of refinement and realism. it performs so well that i have no desire to put together a 5.1 or 7.1 system. i only add this to illustrate that you dont have to spend thousands to get a system that is very satisfying and enjoyable.