I love my B&W 685's, they just keep getting better and better with age, you can't go wrong with these.

They do produce a decent bass (for movies), but I'm so used to the Rel Quake sub that they seem naked without the sub filling in.

For use on their own as plain stereo speakers to play tunes, again, they're excellent.

They do take a while to run in and can seem a little too tight and reluctant to let go when new. But drive them good and hard and they'll really flex their muscles given time.

A co-worker just picked up the Polk 50 Soundbar and absolutely loves it. He said it does a pretty good job of emulating surround sound and provides some amazing overall sound quality. I'm not too sure how much I would trust some of the lower end soundbars though.

Either way, it sounds like you may be in need of an A/V receiver as well. Especially if you are going to be trying to interface with multiple devices.

If you opt for satellite speakers, you'll definitely want a subwoofer. Satellites typically only work down to 100 Hz (or higher), so without a sub you'll miss out on deep male voices, engine noises, and most importantly explosions.

If looks are a prime consideration, a soundbar could be the way to go. I wouldn't waste my time with a cheap one, but consider getting a previously high-end one that has been replaced by a newer model. Old model Yamaha soundbars are available at quite large discounts.

I've been considering getting the KEF KHT3500 K2 package. The "egg" satellites are fairly small, and pretty enough to pass the lifestyle test, you can also hide the sub behind the sofa.

Despite the size they are well regarded, and the KUBE-2 sub is a great sub. If the price (£800) is a bit too much, they do several cheaper options, with the KUBE-1 sub and slightly different specification eggs you can get the KHT1005.2 package for half the price.