What you do and the way you go about it depends entirely on what kind of results are most important to you. If what you really care about is quality then the most important thing to know by far is you can have good, or you can have many, but you cannot have it both ways.
Your $500 will buy you five $100 speakers, or two $250 speakers. Now which do you suppose will sound better? Two quality speakers will kick butt on any number of cheap ones every single time.
Here's another one to keep in mind. The easiest thing in the world is to create a solid center image. You can do it with literally any two speakers. Heck I have even demonstrated it to people with walkie talkies. But hey don't take my word for it. Put two speakers on a desk at equal distance and hear for yourself. So you are right to consider the center optional. Cross it off the list.
Same goes by the way for the sub. Which let's face it, its not even a sub. Sub is short for sub-woofer. Below the woofer. You're talking desktop. Desktop speakers do not even have a woofer to begin with!
So put all your money into the two best speakers you can find. Forget desktop. Bookshelf. Now you're talking. There are some really seriously good bookshelf speakers out there for $500 to $1k. Buy or make some little stands to hold them at ear level a little above the desk, and if there's anything left over for some good wire do that, and be surprised how good it sounds.
Whatever you do make sure the speakers you select are very efficient and easy to drive. You're smart to go with a small tube amp. But it can be hard to find a decent tube amp in your budget. You might- might!- be able to get better results with the whole budget going into the best most efficient and easy to drive pair of speakers you can find, and drive them right off the computer. Or whatever it is.
If your plans include upgrades then for sure I think that is the way to start. Best speakers you can find, then take your time and add a tube amp when you can find- and afford- the right one. Then add some decent wire and you would have one helluva fine desktop system!
Your $500 will buy you five $100 speakers, or two $250 speakers. Now which do you suppose will sound better? Two quality speakers will kick butt on any number of cheap ones every single time.
Here's another one to keep in mind. The easiest thing in the world is to create a solid center image. You can do it with literally any two speakers. Heck I have even demonstrated it to people with walkie talkies. But hey don't take my word for it. Put two speakers on a desk at equal distance and hear for yourself. So you are right to consider the center optional. Cross it off the list.
Same goes by the way for the sub. Which let's face it, its not even a sub. Sub is short for sub-woofer. Below the woofer. You're talking desktop. Desktop speakers do not even have a woofer to begin with!
So put all your money into the two best speakers you can find. Forget desktop. Bookshelf. Now you're talking. There are some really seriously good bookshelf speakers out there for $500 to $1k. Buy or make some little stands to hold them at ear level a little above the desk, and if there's anything left over for some good wire do that, and be surprised how good it sounds.
Whatever you do make sure the speakers you select are very efficient and easy to drive. You're smart to go with a small tube amp. But it can be hard to find a decent tube amp in your budget. You might- might!- be able to get better results with the whole budget going into the best most efficient and easy to drive pair of speakers you can find, and drive them right off the computer. Or whatever it is.
If your plans include upgrades then for sure I think that is the way to start. Best speakers you can find, then take your time and add a tube amp when you can find- and afford- the right one. Then add some decent wire and you would have one helluva fine desktop system!