hi folks,
I had a question. I have limited budget so I was thinking getting Paradigm studios for the
Left, Right , Center postions. LFM-1 for subwoofer, and a cheaper brand ( undecided ) for surrounds.
Would this arrangement be optimal in terms of price and performance ? Any suggestions welcome...

It can be done. The sub's easy, of course, but for the other's it's good to get speakers that are at least similar (such as using a Canadian brand such as Axiom with Paradigms). I've got a co-worker who is contemplating Paradigm Studios across the front, an LFM-1 Plus sub, and Axioms across the back. I actually have a pair of Axiom M3ti's for side surrounds in an otherwise all-Paradigm Studio setup because I couldn't fit Studio/ADP's on my side walls, and the combination has worked out pretty nicely. The Axioms are certainly not equal to the Paradigm Studios, but they blend in pretty comfortably.

Optimal for price, less for performance. The front 3 are most critical to match with brand and line, the surrounds less so, just stay with the same speaker characteristics as the fronts. Will all matching give a better sound stage, yes, will it be that noticable, well your ear will have to answer that. Doesn't Paradigm make an entry level speaker you could use for surrounds for now to stay in the same family until later.

Paradigm makes a Cinema series that is much less expensive than the Studio series and much smaller as well. I use a pair of Cinema 90's with my Dynaudio Audience 72's in my family room. I have not yet decided what to buy for my theater. Good luck.

I have mixed Paradigm speakers and they works great to me.
Front = Studio 100 (1st version)
Center = Studio C300 series
Side right and left = Studio 20
Back surrounds = Atom.

Kwok

I have ml vistas as front speakers and my klipsch c7 is a really good match. I have a pair of rear klipsch speakers that i bought from berst buy, and I am in the process of get ML speakers to replace them because the do not mix in well with the other ones. you really hear the difference when a planw flies across the room or anything that wonders from back to front or vice versa.

This is to show you that there is a difference even within the speaker brand itself.

If you already have the speakers, try them out. If you want to buy, then wait until you can afoard equal quality to your original speakers and then buy.