Speaker/Soundcard advice needed

[piperpilot12w]

I recently got a Mac Pro and would like some suggestions for sound setup.
My previous setup was a PC with a Turtle Beach sound card and Klipsch Pro Media 4.1
I was happy with the sound quality, but looking through this forum I see that it's possible to do much better.
I'm looking for something to play music only through my computer, self powered, and could spend up to $300, or a little more if needed.
The type of music I listen to varies - hard rock, electronic, pop, rapp, and classical in that order
My room dimensions are 11x12
I was used to the surround sound of the 4.1 and filling the room with sound, but from reading some posts it appears that 2 speakers is the typical music setup.
Any sugestions on speakers and a soundcard for a Mac Pro. I read some good things about the M-Audio 2496 soundcard.

 

[Zenshi]

Hello piperpilot. Hey I hope you don't mind but I wanted to bump your thread so that it gets placed in the same location as a couple of other threads that ask the exact same question. You may want to read the other threads around yours.

Klipsch Promedias are pretty nice IMO for PC speakers. For $300, you can probably get a 2.0 setup that may sound better in the highs and mids but may not go down as far as the Promedias as it will be a 2.0 and not a 2.1? I seem to be a broken record (LOL old audio lingo) but maybe a pair or RP5s?

 

[fox_au]

these would be realy good pair of active monitors plus u also get a good low end with the sub its bundles with for 280 fostex studio monitor