i own a paradigm studio 20 v3 and i am more than satisfied with the sound they produce especially when paired with good electronics. however, pls have a listen also to wharfedale diamond 9.2 and the epos M5 speakers. they also produce good sound and it might suit your taste better.
if you really love stereo music listening over multichannel movies, invest your money on your 2 front speakers. else, you might also put a good portion of it on the center and if so, make sure your center speaker is on the same series as your 2 front speakers to maintain the timbre matched. surrounds could be anything..i would have to agree that you can make compromise on your surround channels.

if youd be sticking with paradigm, the best series they have for the money would be the studio series and the studio 20 is the way to go. i find the bass response of the higher models quite boomy already. have a studio 20 and add a nice sub for better stereo sound.