Topic: PARADIGM Studio Reference Models

[audiojunkie]

This is only to get opinions to owners or have chance to used or auditioned the Series, it applies to old and new versions (v1,v2&v3) from Ref20 - Ref100.    

[accastil]

they are very very good in comparison with peers of the same price range. to me they are unbeatable in its own price range.

ive replaced mine though....with sonus faber and vienna acoustics...my former speaker was a paradigm studio 20 V3

[sgxp]

excellent bass extension, even the v20 beats some floorstanders in this department.  can go low and loud without losing composure. excellent for HT. but for extended music listening, many are saying it's tiresome, because refinement and politeness are not their best virtues, hehe. i like them, i like v60 very much, but i already have infinity primus 360. i'd like to buy v60 for my favorite roomshaking orchestral music but the price here are super taga.

[Lucky7]

I heard the 20v3 driven by an arcam 65+ and a cd73t side by side with a b&w705.I prefer the paradigm at half the price

[accastil]

even better than the 805N actually....my apologies for BnW fans

[Lucky7]

Check out this link

http://cgi.ebay.com/Paradigm-Studio-20-v-3-Speakers-Excellent-Condition_W0QQitemZ270130937399QQihZ017QQcategoryZ14991QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The owner said " better than the B&W at a fraction of the price"

[sgxp]

B&W makes good high-end speakers, hehe

[audiojunkie]

B&W makes good high-end speakers, hehe

But Paradigm won't break your bank...  

[accastil]

B&W makes good high-end speakers, hehe

of course they do...though im not sure if its as good as digms ....peace with all BnW fanatics

[audiojunkie]

B&W makes good high-end speakers, hehe

Jst a simple proof of what others said:


http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/bookshelf/speaker-face-off-2-large-bookshelf-speakers/?searchterm=face%20off

http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/bookshelf/speaker-face-off-iii/speaker-face-off-iii-conclusions

   peace to all BW owners and fans...

[sgxp]

what i meant to say is that nautilus is good, hehe

[Lucky7]

B&W makes a decent speakers and no doubt about that.But compared to others I think they are overprice. A good example is the wharf9.1 and the B&W 601. Listen to them and compare the sound and price and you will know what I mean.Peace to all .

[audiojunkie]

I don't want to concentrate on single brand comparason. I owned Studio 60v2 and Diamond 9.5 . Both of them are very good in  their own virtue, but these two are not comparable eventhough they are almost equal in size but not in price , sound and build quality.   

Here's the pix of two beauties: ( medyo malabo lang with foncam)
 

[brandon]

of course they do...though im not sure if its as good as digms ....peace with all BnW fanatics

Paradigms actually sound similar to B&W's.
Some actually call them B&W clones... 

Paradigms are forward sounding like B&W's with
an emphasis in the midrange and highs. However, they
just don't quite have the kind of finesse, grace, refinement,
and 'politeness' (or whatever you'd want to call it) in the midrange
and highs that only true blue B&W speakers possess.
Whether it's a virtue or not depends on the owners' ears.
I can't blame Paradigm owners for not realizing it...
You have to own a B&W to be able to notice the difference
in 'politeness' and 'finesse'...

Peace to all Paradigm owners!  

[accastil]

hi brandon, it depends on the series we are talking of. the paradigm reference and the paradigm signature series for example..cannot be matched even to the 805N model of BnW, at least for me ....id pick the paradigms anytime.

maybe its just system matching afterall. havent really heard any BnW driven by modest gears...mostly via onkyo or denon receivers. i know they have lots of good potential, its so sad that very few shops demo them via hi-end gears...more like in the case of dynaudio speakers where most shop demos are done via yammy gears

[brandon]

hi brandon, it depends on the series we are talking of. the paradigm reference and the paradigm signature series for example..cannot be matched even to the 805N model of BnW, at least for me ....id pick the paradigms anytime.

maybe its just system matching afterall. havent really heard any BnW driven by modest gears...mostly via onkyo or denon receivers. i know they have lots of good potential, its so sad that very few shops demo them via hi-end gears...more like in the case of dynaudio speakers where most shop demos are done via yammy gears

hi accastil,

The link you gave comparing the B&W 805N to the Paradigm is the opinion of just one person
who may have an 'exotic' and I must admit, an 'eccentric' taste for ear piercing treble
and 'in-your-face' (almost 'savage') midrange sound... 

If you want a truly 'representative/popular' opinion about Paradigm speakers, go to reviews
of Paradigm speakers made by those who truly own them at http://www.audioreview.com. 
You'll get mostly good reviews (because owners love what they own) but worthy of note is their
frequent comment about Paradigm's 'aggressiveness' in the treble and lack of 'politeness' and
'finesse' in the midrange.   This isn't really bad if it's what you like.

If you are used to such 'aggressiveness' in the sound quality, you are generally going to
interpret B&W's more laidback sound as rather 'flat' and downright 'muffled'; that is,
lacking in bass, as well as having a rather 'tame' midrange (equated to less midrange clarity
for those used to 'aggressive midranges' and for the less experienced) and lacking in treble bite
(for those who love ear 'fatigue' after long term listening). 

Well then again, I may be wrong... Sound quality perception is highly subjective.
To each his own...

[accastil]

hi accastil,

The link you gave comparing the B&W 805N to the Paradigm is the opinion of just one person
who may have an 'exotic' and I must admit, an 'eccentric' taste for ear piercing treble
and 'in-your-face' (almost 'savage') midrange sound... 

If you want a truly 'representative/popular' opinion about Paradigm speakers, go to reviews
of Paradigm speakers made by those who truly own them at http://www.audioreview.com. 
You'll get mostly good reviews (because owners love what they own) but worthy of note is their
frequent comment about Paradigm's 'aggressiveness' in the treble and lack of 'politeness' and
'finesse' in the midrange.   This isn't really bad if it's what you like.

If you are used to such 'aggressiveness' in the sound quality, you are generally going to
interpret B&W's more laidback sound as rather 'flat' and downright 'muffled'; that is,
lacking in bass, as well as having a rather 'tame' midrange (equated to less midrange clarity
for those used to 'aggressive midranges' and for the less experienced) and lacking in treble bite
(for those who love ear 'fatigue' after long term listening). 

Well then again, I may be wrong... Sound quality perception is highly subjective.
To each his own...

i agree. www.audioreview.com is one reliable benchmark....period.

[audiojunkie]

Ohh... It seemed that the heat is on between two brands...  
I started this thread to focus only to Studio Refence models, and we can't avoid the comparisons with other brands like B&W. We should also consider the type and price point of models we are refering to . Even same brand don't sound the same,Some prefer the refined top end of Studio 20 or 40 'coz 60 tend to sound boomy with it's big box..buy. with right amplifications and  proper room set-up it can be avoided. so, every model of evey brands has it's own strengths and weaknesses, even low wattage BS or FS speaker s need proper and clean power to sound it's best and outweight of any weaknesses..    

Exact comparason can not be made equal without connecting them on identical system & room, IMHO though.     

[sgxp]

Live music tend to sound aggressive and ear fatiguing, hehe, my ears lang siguro.  But I won't recommend to buy to notice how Paradigm is closer to that sound, audition lang.  Pero okey ung Nautillus, hehe.

[accastil]

Ohh... It seemed that the heat is on between two brands...  
I started this thread to focus only to Studio Refence models, and we can't avoid the comparisons with other brands like B&W. We should also consider the type and price point of models we are refering to . Even same brand don't sound the same,Some prefer the refined top end of Studio 20 or 40 'coz 60 tend to sound boomy with it's big box..buy. with right amplifications and  proper room set-up it can be avoided. so, every model of evey brands has it's own strengths and weaknesses, even low wattage BS or FS speaker s need proper and clean power to sound it's best and outweight of any weaknesses..    

Exact comparason can not be made equal without connecting them on identical system & room, IMHO though.     

no heated discussions or arguments bro. just plain fun
as i was telling, BnW makes good speakers..its BnW, by the way

[audiojunkie]

no heated discussions or arguments bro. just plain fun
as i was telling, BnW makes good speakers..its BnW, by the way

I like to own one also... BnK / Bnw will be matched made in Heaven...  

I got BnW Demo DVD came with my Stereophile mag and I watched it several times and would watch it again when I got time.   

[synchro_01]

You have to own a B&W to be able to notice the difference
in 'politeness' and 'finesse'...

very true.  Based on experience and not on reviews, iba pa din ang Nautilus pagdating sa refinement and finesse.