Well, if you're deffinate about getting birch for a low cost, I'd consider Mapex m-birch (you get a free tom) or Gretsch catalina birch.
Recordists like birch because the wood does'nt replicate all the tones that maple does. They're also a little quieter. I'm in the process of buying a new kit myself, but I've decided to go Maple. I figure any tone I want to lose I can do with different heads, but I want that volume for live gigs.
Like I say to everyone, go to your music shop, try out every kit until you find the one you want. If you need anymore info, check out this site.
http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/index.html