Phil, that's actually a very good price on the 100's. Also, Paradigm has come out with yet another line to fill the slot between the Monitors and the Studios called the SE(Special Edition). This would be a great comparison if it could be arranged and kudos to the dealer for considering it.
The 4 ohm issue seems to get overblown quite a bit in regards to powering the M80s. If he's got a decent lineup of avr's like Denon, Onkyo, HK, Sherwood ect I don't see a problem. I would say that the Axioms would reach the limit of the amp before the Paradigms, something to keep in mind if you crank it.
I hope you get a chance to compare the two. I've done the comparison but indirectly and with the previous version of the Studio 100. To me, they were a close call.
