what is the best stereo system for the home?

Price really isn't an issue. I realize that I will have to spend some bucks to get something that sounds great.

Oh boy, depends on how much you are willing to spend. Several brands will charge thousands of dollars per speaker. Martin logans are 1,500 a piece but being an electrostatic speaker they offer one of the clearest reproductions of sound that you will ever hear. Or you could go with sonus faber which can in some cases be twice as much and hand made from the ground up.

I'm a really big fan of Klipsch Audio and Definitive Technology. They are both available at your local Magnolia (located inside of select Best Buy stores)

Klipsch Audio Reference floorstanding speakers are probably have the best bang for your buck. Not in the ultra-expensive range, these speakers still boast premium audio production. From their cerametallic woofers to the titanium tweeter, these speakers really need to be heard to be fully appreciated.

Definitive Technology is also amazing in terms of great sound. I think these sound best for most music scores as they get awesome accoustics at a affordable price. Go to your local premium audio store and ask for a demonstration of these two speakers.

As far as choosing a receiver is concerned, good brand to check out would be Denon (many have the ability to auto-calibrate) and Yamaha (which I've seen many have an extreemly low THD rating) and a few are THX certified (which is a very prestigious award for home theatre equipment sponsored by lucasfilms)