upgrade from Paradigm Studio 20s?

What else is in your system?

Definitely Fritzspeakers Carbon 7. You will love the bass.
No need for subwoofer

keep the sub and get good bookshelves. all the above are good suggestions. I would add some totems and the smallest PMC (the DB1i I think). heard lots of good things about the proacs and some of the other brands but the best for detail I've heard are the PMC's. I have some ERA D5 units that IMO beat the paradigms but I dont think they will do what you want as well as your budget will allow, actually thats a nice way of saying for $2K you can do better. $2K will get you some really nice monitors and I must agree with Bob above about the $3K price break.

All good advice...but for 2k i dont think you are going to make a quantum leap in performance unless you are willing to go with a large Magnepan,3-way Vandersteen, etc...both poor WAF...u could add a sub...but 90% of music is in the midrange...and i dont think even that would be a huge upgrade unless you listen extensively to organ music, electronica, reggae, etc...all depends on your listening preferences...FWIW...in the more conventional 2-way design...GMA europas are hard to beat...

I've lately been looking at Salk Songtowers ... attractive, affordable, and getting great ratings so far.

My system:
Emotiva ERC-1 CDP
Emo USP-1 preamp
Emo UPA-2 amp