Paradigm S8 vs. Sonus Faber Cremona M

Gag1101,No, going by their history. A $99 speaker shouldn't do that. Listen to them. If you like them, go for it.

With Paradigm using their aluminum tweeters that give a lot of ultrasonic noise right above 20 kHz in their other models, I would lean toward something else. A lot is said that you can't hear this noise. But, a lot of people cannot tolerate it either. If you get fatigued by this, you most likely won't enjoy any music. I can't handle being in the room with this problem. I would lean toward something else (possibly Sonus) and enjoy the music, in my opinion. Links to this noise in a couple of tests on their other models with their aluminum tweeters and this resonance noise.[http://www.stereophile.com/content/paradigm-reference-studio100-v3-loudspeaker-measurements][http://www.stereophile.com/content/paradigm-reference-studio-60-v5-loudspeaker-measurements]

01-24-12: Audiofreakgeek
hifivn, what do you have against Paradigm?

You quote a review from 2009 on a completely different model!

Nothing until they came out with that tweeter that left a lot of sad people. When someone does a test that shows if these exhibit that above 20 kHz resonance noise, or not, I can't recommend their products anymore. I don't understand why they sell something like this in the first place. This is just my opinion.

Out of the brands mentioned, this is how I'd categorize them in general. The MAC that has output coupling transformers (Autoformers) have highs that can be too mellow or soft sounding, in comparison to a neutral amp. Krell can be at the opposite end, having too much highs, too revealing, or some may refer to them as bright sounding. Bryston would fit in the middle somewhere, and lean towards being neutral, and may be one to consider. Ayre is also in the middle of this group, but sort of a more refined version of a Bryston. Sometimes people will say the Ayre may be a little bright in some systems, but I don't think it is the case all of the time. This is my personal take on these. Again, this is just in general, and going by memory for some. Also my use of neutral is for the highs and lows, being closer to flat, nothing added, or taken away. Every brand may have some products that stray from their more common sound, or house sound.

01-31-12: Docks
The paradigms are very linear (look up the freq response) and shouldn't sound harsh or hot by any means

I haven't seen a good review test of this model done by someone like Stereophile to verify that. Their other models seem to have a history of it, from what I see, and hear.

Docks, they didn't test the other speakers where they produce that offensives ringing either. I can't stand to be in the room with them, and I've seen other people that have a problem with their speakers also. Again, I would go toward a high-end speaker.

Paradigm has always been a mid-fi speaker.Test results that show their offensive tweeters that's not reflected in the test you provide on this other model. It seems to be their design, and house sound characteristic anymore. If you look right above 20kHz, that's where their tweeters seem to go crazy, and get offensive. A lot of noise over 20 kHz here. Links [http://www.stereophile.com/content/paradigm-reference-studio100-v3-loudspeaker-measurements][http://www.stereophile.com/content/paradigm-reference-studio20-loudspeaker-measurements-0] [http://www.soundstagemagazine.com/measurements/paradigm_studio100_v3/]