Both Paradigm and Kef make fantastic speakers. This will be something you will have to audition each of to find your tastes, remember you can add subs later on.
When shopping for my S8s I ended up listening to the deftech BP7000s and really did enjoy them. However the Paradigms portrayed a more accurate soundstage (easier to localize instruments, rather than big and kinda messy) when compared to deftechs. I've not heard the studio series from Paradigm however I've seen stereophile hold them in pretty high regards (if thats worth anything).
I highly suggest you take your time and audition at a few places. Being objective will get you started, measurements won't make you fall in love with a speaker.