Probably because they haven't introduced anything really new lately, at least as far as audiophiles would be concerned. Looks like they're introducing a new Prestige series geared toward home theater, so may be some press soon for those but not likely to generate too much interest here. |
Just over a year ago I heard a system with a pair of the Reference Signature S8's on the end of it. It had a Light Harmonics Da Vinci DAC at the front end, a JE Audio Pre-amp, and was driven by a pair of Anthem Class D Statement Monoblocs.
The session was helped by the fact that the demonstrator avoided plinky plonky Jazz, and played a lot of my kind of music - mainly hard rock/heavy metal!
I wouldn't claim to have either the best ears or the widest of listening experiences. But.. I've been to a few shows and dealer musical evenings and this system hit the spot for like no other I've heard, including ones that would have cost twice its price. The speakers obviously played their part! |
Everyone who I have turned onto Paradigms have been absolutely smitten by them. (I have yet to have someone NOT buy them, and I am not a dealer, just an audio friend, after taking them for a demo). Not cheap and not too expensive, they punch WAY above thier weight class. They are resolving and deliver the goods which set up right and coupled with good amplification. |
I have S8s in my Home theater and they sound Damn good. |
I've got the S6 in a 2 channel system, as well as a pair of Monitor 7 v3. I do think they punch above their weight. They are not the only good speaker manufacturer, however. IMO, as you get into the higher end you'll find that speakers can produce more detail/resolution, and amps and cabling have more of an effect.
The first amp I paired with the Sigs made them awful bright sounding at higher volumes, an Emotiva XPA amp. After research, I tried a Parasound A21, and the side by side difference in sound showed me that all amps do not sound the same. I same to the same conclusion about cables. |
Big fan of the S8s (v3).
Just inserted a DEQX PreMate into my system. I'd say the combo has squeezed the last bit of hi-end juice out of my S8s. Read my comments on the "Sloped Baffle" and "DEQX Game Changer" threads.
While there are many, many facets that make for a good speaker, one indispensable element is driver quality. IMO, I think Paradigm does an excellent job in that department, particularly in its Signature line.
So ... combine the DEQX time coherence and EQ functionality with Paradigm's excellent quality drivers ... you've got a match made in heaven. |
Oh, btw, not that this is really relevant, but I thought I'd pass it along anyway. When the DEQX guys were measuring my system, they plotted the frequency response of the drivers. The room wreaked havoc on the mid and low frequencies. That's where the DEQX helped.
But the beryllium tweeters were unbelievable. Their resonance frequency was close to 40,000 Hz. And the tweets were flat out to 20,000 Hz and started to gently roll off at around 30,000 Hz. |
OP-
paradigm are very well established. No need for those guys to do much 'PR' work- if you know what I mean. I think that many will find it to be pleasing for Rock/Hard Rock music.
I like the fact that there are different series at different price-points- not all speaker companies treat customers this way. Your best money is spent in the signature editions.
Happy Listening! |
I had a short demo of the S8(v3)driven by a Marantz Reference power/pre/cd set up. Was really impressed with it's overall coherence and engaging midrange. Sounded spot on with male vocals which many speakers have difficulty with. Even with it's somewhat gauche appearance it deserves serious consideration, especially on the used market. |
Thanks for all the inputs. I had a pair of Titan v.3 and I like how they sounded. My Dayton speakers are way above the Titans in term of detail and soundstage but then again I'm comparing 5 1/4" to 6 1/2" speakers difference. I thought the Titans had a strong vocal presentation with good midrange but lack some upper end detail.
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There budget stuff is killer right now. They are realizing the 200 to 1k speaker point is where the sale volumes at.
I like their ref 20's but they are now priced to high IMO. They were great for 599 in 2001 |
Would have to agree...the Studio 20s were a solid choice at $600 years back...at close to twice that now...that is a very competitive price point...one is in range of Vandersteen, Magnepan, etc...I have been less enthralled with their entry offerings...particularly the atom model... |
I recently acquired a pair of Studio Reference 100 v.2s. I'm still getting to know them, and in particular trying to figure out how to improve sound stage via room placement, cabling, and floor isolation. But so far I really like them. Very good resolution especially in the mid range and the highs. Bass can be a little overwhelming, largely because of the room they are placed in, but I've made some adjustments that have *dramatically* improved bass accuracy and sound stage, and am confident that I can improve it a great deal more still. So far they perform impressively with all music types I've played through them: ensemble jazz, symphonic classical, prog rock, hip hop, even G. Love and Special Sauce. I got them used for $1K and think it was an excellent deal. |
I had the Paradigm studio 60v2's and after many hours of experiments found that removing grills and strapping heavy brass to the front of the cabinet by the outlet hole really improved bass,midrange definition and most important to me treble dispersion height.It looks odd but it works and won't damage the speaker if you are careful.I think I remember I had 2 on each speaker.You would need to experiment placement on the big 100's.I now have the studio 60v5's and did the same thing with about same results. |
