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Paradigm Studio 10 or ERA D4/D5

I am getting ready to build a modest 5.1 system in the living room. It will be used mainly for watching TV, movies, and playing games. I will listen to music on it until I can get a 2 ch. rig set up as well.

I heard the D4 and loved that little speaker. I have always liked the Paradigm stuff. I used to run 4 Studio 60s and a Studio CC in a 5.0 setup and it was fantastic.

I really am leaning towards the ERA stuff this time. They are beautiful to look at as well. The fronts will be mounted on some nice stands. Center will match and be on a shelf below the TV. Rears will be in-ceiling. Either Paradigm if I end up with Studio 10 or probably B&W if I end up with the ERA.

Anyone with experience with the Studio v.5 line and ERA chime in please.
128x128theaudioexperience
8 responses Add your response
koven
94 posts
 
I preferred the D5 over the Studio 20's.

Paradigms sound bright, the Era's were smoother and sounded more natural.
griffinconst
61 posts
 
Are these two speakers the same price? How much are the D5?
paulsax
275 posts
 
oops griffinconst caught me. I listened to the D5's versus the Studio 20's. sorry. I do know both will go very big for such small units. I prefered the D5's but I sure would not be unhappy with the 20's.
griffinconst
61 posts
 
I didn't even realize there was a Studio 10. I like the 20s very much. Are 10s a new model?
ryanmartinson
34 posts
 
I auditioned the D4s and Studio 10s and purchased the D4s because I felt they were a bit smoother and more natural sounding. But my system is exclusively for music.

For home theater and games, you might want to go with the Paradigms. To me they were more dynamic and sounded bigger...more slam. I'd say go with the 10s for your home theater, and go with Eras for your future 2 channel rig.
paulsax
275 posts
 
i did something very similar to your plan. Unlike the previous posts I found the D5's to be better to my tastes than the studio 10 with margin. Opinions vary of course. I used D5s as fronts and d4's as surrounds. I auditioned both extensively and came to nearly the exact opposite conclusion of Loomisjohnson. Try both with and see what you think.
mst
163 posts
 
The Studio tens are in my office. I loved them in the show room running off of a decent NAD amp and love them in my office running off of a flea-watt tubed amp. They are very very nice and I really like the build quality.
loomisjohnson
1,948 posts
 
since you asked for opinions, i auditioned the eras and didn't like 'em at all--i thought they were tinny, with a narrow soundstage. the paradigms, on the other hand, have no discernible flaws; i'd also look at psb imagine within the same price class.
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