Without going too overboard, I would look at the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 system. They’re way under your budget and are generally good for a small room. The Harmon Kardon Soundsticks also sound good for their price, and look slick too.
For a 2.0 setup, you really should go for passive speakers and a seperate amp. Then I would suggest any standard receiver and a pair of good bookshelf speakers, such as Yamaha.