Whip, i understand your approach to designing your home theatre.
I did the same thing several months ago. I wanted to find a high end receiver that would last me a lifetime. I also wanted to find speakers that were as best quality for the price that i could get knowing that sometime in the future, as my preferences for sound continue to develop, i might switch them out for other speakers that i find more appealing whether they cost more or not.
Since speakers will comprise the greatest single change in the sound quality, they are the most likely candidates for future replacing.
That being said, i plan on keeping my Axioms for as long as i have my Onkyo DS797 receiver. However, i also plan on setting up a second system in the distant future which will be geared towards a high end HT application. That system will hopefully have all my dream components or those 'new' dream speakers that i have yet to come across. I have alot of auditioning to do in the next 5-10 years.
Anyway, on the QSx vs direct speaker thing, i had the chance to compare the QS8s to the M22s as rear surrounds. Here is a link to what i posted awhile ago:
the link 
