Paradigm Owners Thread - Page 818

Well in truth it's like eveything else, it depends on a whole lot of factors like room size, listening distance and volume you listen to etc...
But in general that's reasonable advice.
Ground loops aren't all that common, so it wouldn't hurt to try a different circuit if it's convenient.

I wouldn't go out of my way to go to 240v though. When their literature states "maximum continuous volume" it's not really indicative of real world application. No one would listen to 9hz at 125db for any prolonged amount of time... you'd puke... then you'd go deaf...

My room is 14' x 24' with a large opening on one side and I've got everything on the same circuit, my amps total 2250w (3750w if I include the sub) with no issue.

When I use my PBK on my DSP subs it's seems to tame them low too much and it seems to lose its punch! When I take the PBK measurement out of the sub it seems to get my subs alive and have more impact!!!! I think I might be missing something but I paid 100 bucks for my PBK and don't like the results it gives me!! Anything I am missing would be greatly appreciated!

Random question from a random Dude.
I'm getting Monitor 9's, Center 3 and Atoms very shortly *crosses fingers*. I am wondering if a break-in period is recommended. If so, how long and what type of source? Will my ipod on random be enough?
Thank You!

You'll probably get a bunch of opinions on this subject. When I purchased mine several months back I was told/read everything from 4 hours to 40 hours. I don't think the source matters but you should break them in. I listened to my set- up for several hours at a moderate volume and then I left the system on over night at a slightly lower volume. Sorry I can not give a more definite answer, but maybe someone else will give some advice based on some facts. BTW the owners manual states several hours before critical listening.

Thank you!
I don't think the excitement will reign me in but I don't want to wreck them either. I believe I read here somewhere that 8 hours was essential. Your reply helps me confirm that a break in should be done.
After connecting everything, I'll leave the house for a while with music playing.
Again, thank you!

I finally made the jump to the Signature line! This past Tuesday started like a normal work day but an ad on CAM for a pair of v2 S4s and a C3 finished in Cherry caught my eye. As it turns out an installer had these speakers sitting in his warehouse area in their original packaging after to a change of plans during a HT installation a couple of years ago. I made it to his business just after lunch and was pleasantly surprised - these speakers had not been used and even looked brand new. After making sure everything was in working order we boxed them up and I was on my way home. I can't believe the difference over my v4 Studio 40s and CC590. The sound is more detailed and the clarity is amazing - not to mention they look spectacular. The sound for both music and HT are improved. I didn't expect a noticeable improvement for HT but we have watched a couple of HD cable shows and in certain situations like glass shattering or water dripping in a warehouse the sound is more life-like. I haven't stopped smiling yet.

Congrats 519! I'm glad that you found a smoking deal.

What are you doing with your Studio's?

Lucky dog. I'm jealous... Always wanted S4's...ended up
with Studio 40v4. But they are pretty damn good, 2.1 music
set-up.

Thanks Weird. I am pretty pumped.
Studio's are for sale on CAM.

Anyone?

Are they V2's that you picked up?

I personally find that the Sigs are not only better for music but better for movies as well. Do you plan on picking up some matching surrounds one of these days?

What did the PBK graph look like? You may be used to listening a some big peaks at certain frequency's that the PBK has flattened which you may perceive as losing some bass. Not everyone likes a flat response and in some cases can take some getting used to.

noob question, but I am wondering what advantages the sub25 would have over the sub15 in a medium sized room (22 x 14 x 9) for home theatre use. Would you be able to notice that much of a different seeing that you won't be using all the power of the subs anyway?

Thats a very common response when people first hear accurate bass.
Since there's no bloat, it "feels" or seems less powerful.
Get your SPL meter out and play the sub at equal levels with and without PBK just to get a feel for it on a level playing field. (Since PBK might be cutting some frequencies a few db and reducing the overall output.)
Then live with PBK for a while before you turn it off. I think you might be surprised.

If that's not the case then it could be a measurement error. I've never heard a "bad" eq in the bass region and I've used quite a few.

They are v2s.
No real plan for surrounds as of now...probably will stick with Studio's for surround duty.
You're running S6's/C5 now right?

Congrats, I LOVED my S4 v.1's and only changed to get into the Be tweets.
I went to S8 v.3's because I got a stupid deal on them plus they didn't make the S4's in the v.3 line.

I've been waiting to hear your reaction from that monster!

Yes that's what I'm using for my front three right now, I've been kicking around the idea of replacing the S6's with the S8's. Not sure if it'll be enough of an upgrade to justify the cost though.

I see S1's pop up on CAM for some pretty good prices once and a while, if you can grab them for the right price they work well for surrounds. That's what I'm using right now.

Um, newbie question. What's CAM?

Canuck Audio Mart

Basically Canada's version of Audiogon, we're both Canadian's so we both use that site.

Ahh. Now I get it. Learn something new everyday. Thanks

I have 100s but mine are V.4s. I was driving them with a Yamaha RX-V3800 (140wX7 rating) in a large, somewhat acoustically challenged room and found the overall sound lacking. I knew the speakers themselves were capable of much better performance and that they probably needed better amplification to get more or the most out of them. I added an Emotiva XPA-2 (300wX2) and the overall improvement in sound quality can be heard. The extra power/headroom brought better dynamics, slightly better sound staging, better control of the bass frequencies and an overall cleaner sound at higher volume. Most of those improvements are less noticeable at lower volumes but they're still there, just to lesser degrees. I like my music at near realistic levels so for me, the benefits of the added power was worth what I spent on the amp.

Two most important factors regarding more power, size of the room they'll be used in and how loud you enjoy your music. the Studio do like more than the standard amount of juice.

Hope that helps and answers your question.

Oh yea

Spent the early part of today playing with PBK and ARC settings to make sure any high pass filters were disabled so this thing would play as low as possible......and now it sounds even better. I am fortunate that the only source of rattle in my room was my right surround speaker which was quickly fixed with a piece of felt. Everything else, including my numerous acoustic panels and traps, are somehow surviving the onslaught of bass.

It's truly fantastic.

That's awesome. That sub is truly a piece of art. Being DSP driven by a version of ARC opposed to servo based and having 3000 watts on tap, I'm truly jealous.

Curious how it's doing with your current 110v 15amp circuit? I was told by a dealer that the sub 25 really comes to life on a 220v circuit.

Hello everyone. OK so it’s been three months with my Paradigm Studio 20’s V.5 and the Seismic 110 and I’d like to share my thoughts to anyone who is looking for info about these speakers in general before buying it, like I was:
Out of the box I was impressed by the packaging. Nice and tight and very protected. The first thing that came to mind was just how beautiful the piano black finish is. Very elegant and 1A craftsmanship. I installed the J-29 stands right away. The instructions are pretty clear and all the tools (an allen wrench) and screws needed for proper installation are provided. They look great, very pro, tight, cool-classy. The only beef I have with them is; the screws that are used to secure the speaker to the stands get pretty hard after going ¼ of the way in. This happened with both speakers, on both stands. And yes, I am using the right screw. Maybe if I had an electric screwdriver it’d go in better. But me using a lot force, the provided allen wrench gives in before the screw gives in a single millimeter more. I’m afraid I’d break the wrench if I use more force. This results in me seeing both screws, on each stand, sticking out from the bottom each time I sit down to listen to music. I know this sounds like a pet peeve, and it is, but when you see something as, at least in my eyes, beautiful and elegant as the combination of a J-29 and a piano black Studio 20 V.5, the littlest of things point out. Plus, I know it’s not supposed to be this way, the screws should go all the way in, securing the speaker better, while doing this invisibly. Other than that little thing, I must say I am pretty taken aback at how good the Studio 20’s look on the J-29 stands. They are obviously made for each other. They look more like an extension of each other then a speaker on a stand. I like how the Studio 20’s don’t have the classic boxy look of a bookshelf speaker, its rear curves makes it a great looker and makes it win beauty points against other bookshelves. I get the same feeling I get when I see one of those huge black Yamaha pianos, they breath authority, elegance and mean business. They definitely look like more expensive speakers than what they really are.
I hooked up the Paradigms to my Denon 2310CI. What I did first was, I spent like about 2 weeks without hooking up the Seismic 110 to the system (this was hard). Why you ask? Well I wanted to see what the speakers by themselves were capable of. And also, I wanted to give myself the “gift” of the feeling of an upgrade. If I hooked up the sub right away, then I wouldn’t know the difference on how the system sounded without it. So ok here we go, sound:
Out of the box I was not impressed. I’m not saying I disliked them, far from it, it’s just that nothing about the speakers jumped out at me. But as I sat down and started listening to cd’s and records, the speakers started to open up; the sound got warmer, highs got airier, and dynamic performance was spooky good, I was starting to understand what this speakers were all about. The speakers have a “no one get’s left behind” policy. From top to bottom, the whole musical spectrum is solidly represented. The highs are open and silky smooth, beautifully airy, and pin point precise. To call them “shy highs” would be as wrong as calling Alaska hot (in winter time), but just as wrong would be to assume they are colored, shrilling, tiring or nothing but elegantly transparent. The mids are equally, if not more, impressive. Sky Edwad’s vocals in Morcheeba’s “Undress Me Now” has a nice all around make you feel at ease vibe to it. But sang through the Paradigm, the mids managed to portray a level of breathing intimacy, wrapping me up with a sense of air and musicality that brought me an inch from a weep. Dynamic soundstage is huge, I remember the first time the Paradigm’s gave me a peek of their scale, when in Jem’s “They”, sounds seemed to be coming out of places far above the speaker placement. It actually startled me. Instruments are each rightly awarded its own individual space in a huge melodic wave. Yes, these speakers are extremely musical, at all volumes. In the bass region the speakers continued to amaze. The Studio 20’s deliver the low end with enough oomph to keep my bass appetite on check. The bass is just right, not thin or boxy. Don’t get me wrong, if you want the subsonic lows, a sub is definitely a must. But for a good stereo listening run, the Studio 20’s will serve you top to bottom sonic bliss in a golden plate, anytime. Which brings me to a point, and a suggestion if I may. If you are on a budget, and want to start a good system with a solid foundation, you can definitely start of with a pair of Studio 20’s. Well, yes, as I write this I do realize this is a very personal matter. Some people are more bass heads than others. I love me bass too, I just can’t stand it overwhelming every other tune in the sonic spectrum, making a bloat out of himself. But if its anything worth, I know I’d be very happy if I would’ve ordered the pair of Studio 20s without a sub till I gathered up the money to add it. As you can see, by now, as if pissed at me for having the oh so wrong first impression of not being amazed at their first listen, the Studio 20’s had me on a short leach making me call them “uncle”. And the most impressive thing about it all? All this is presented without a hint of coloring. These speakers give you all the bells and whistles yet manage to never step out of the neutral zone. Very impressive. You could listen to music for hours and hours and only have as a result wanting more. No matter what I’ve thrown at the speakers, jazz, lounge, house, tech-house, rock, drum-n-bass, classical etc., the speakers feel right at home. They actually look as if they’re giving me a cockish grin every time I look at them rocking the joint (my living room). But don’t quote me on that, that’s just me letting my crazies loose.

In comes the Bulldog.
So two weeks after happily listening to the Studio’s, I unpacked the Seismic 110. I was struck at how small “The Thing”, as I call it, is. I’ve read many reports of the Seismic being called ugly, that it looks like a bulldog and needing a while to get used to its quirky looks. To me, yes it does look like a bulldog, but unlike some, I find it very attractive and cute. Yes cute. Cute in a Biker Bulldog meets Matrix Agents kinky kinda way. The thing is a footprint small, yet built like a tank. Very heavy. The driver, if you can call it that, is not protected. I knew this from all the search I’ve done on the internet, and was worried about it getting easily damaged but as soon as I touched it, I just laughed at my worries. The thing seems tougher than a sack of bricks. I’d be more worried at the flying bat that’d crash into the driver by mistake then the driver itself. Damn bats flying everywhere.
I did not get it with the PBK. So connecting the sub was a matter of A-B-C. I cut it off at 80hz, and located it in the front of the room, a little to the left. My first sonic experience? The Thing bit my hand off for calling it cute. It has loads of bass, and three times as much in reserve. I fiddled a bit with the phase knob, using my lovely wife as a remote till I got it right. Listening to tracks got me a little worried that I had not gotten the PBK. The Thing behaved like a brute. Sometimes that bass was too overwhelming, other times I didn’t feel it as much. But what kept my paranoia levels behaved was that, when The Thing delivered the bass, it was jaw dropping subsonic wave after wave of clean bass. So I new what it was capable of, I just needed to find a way to make it give it to me like I like it. So I started to play with the position of the sub. A whole afternoon later, I ended up placing it in the front of the room, all the way in the left corner. This was the first thing that made a huge difference. I only had to touch the back of the sub (to access the volume control) twice now, one for movies, another for music, but always the same knob position for each category (a little less than 1/4 power for music, ½ for movies). The bass was clearer, tight when needed to be, and open when the job asked for it, extremely fast and nimble, but never thin, boxy nor boomy. For the first time I understood what a precise sub is. This sub has a lot of technology packed into it, and all this can clearly be summed up into: Sound. I belive (I know) this sub breaks the laws of physics. The other thing that made a huge difference, was the sub breaking in. I had no idea how different and how improved it would get. The bass got a lot cleaner than what it already was, and a lot more precise. Yes I was amazed before, but even my wife could tell the difference as the bass seemed to get more “intelligent”, if that makes sense. Will I get the PBK? Yes. But later on. I’m just trying to point out that it’s not a MUST for people getting the sub. I gave it a lot of thought on whether to get it with the PBK or not, but for piggy bank reasons decided to hold on it. I’m glad I did. I’ll still get it in the future though, I know it’ll make it sound better.

The thing is a freak. So much bass shouldn’t come out of something so small. That in itself is quiet an achievement. But the amount of precision, nimbleness and cleaness in which all this bass is (always) served, makes you wave the white flag and join the Cult. For movies it will rattle the cages and give me a sense of intimacy that is freakishly real. A good example was in the movie Secretariat. For the first time, when all those horses rumbled across my living room the subwoofer was fast and tight enough to make me feel like each and every hoof was pounding against my chest, each at different time as they galloped the floor, while the Studio 20’s picked up even the slightest pile of dirt these very hoofs threw off. With music I find the sub to be just as overachieving. It comes in and out fast. Never calling unwanted attention to itself. In Miles Davis “So What”, Paul Chambers bass notes are brought to life making you know each pull or pluck from the chord. With more demanding tracks like Blue Man Tar’s tech house 4 x 4 rumper stomber, “Numbers” The Thing feels right at home, delivering incrementing wave after wave of intoxicating bass lines that made me understand the song in a way that, yes I dare say it, other inferior systems wouldn’t have been able to. At least my last speakers wouldn’t. With LTJ Bukem’s “Western” (Condrad Remix) the hooky bass line can be very demanding on systems, yet it is portrayed by the Paradigm with tremendous accuracy and realism that’ll keep your neck nodding with approval while Conrad’s intimidating vocals fly out of the Studio 20’s with incredible authority. As to how the sub integrates with the Studio 20’s, as you might have guessed it they work perfectly with each other. I believe these two were made for each other. In my opinion, they truly do perform as one, once you get the set up right.
So are they perfect? No. But I’m only answering “No” because I know that’s what I should say. We’ve been around long enough to know that nothing is perfect, and I know there are speakers that should and do perform better than these, most probably most at a lot higher prices. But the truth is, to me they are perfect. But I’m just a mere sonic mortal. I’m not a 5 time universally accepted audiophile. I’m just an average joe who happens to love music from as long as I can remember, and frankly don’t imagine life without it. But we have to take into consideration that the last speaker system I had was a Polk Audio RM6900 system. While that was a significant upgrade from my sony mini componenet I had before that, I did found it’s limits within the first three weeks of me having it. The upper mids, in some tracks, were no where to be found, and turning the volume up in search for them only resolved in the subwoofer making an ass out of itself. The highs could be too laid back at times also. I knew it’s limits, and I tried my best to keep it out of those unwelcoming territories. I spent about six years with it. Over all, they made me happy.
So, again, as they say in The Matrix, “ignorance is a bliss”. For me, my needs, my space, my demands: the Paradigm Studio 20’s and Seismic 110 are perfect. I have yet to find a flaw in them, other that they won’t fetch me my coffee. They even made me change my priorities. For example, my plan was to buy the left and right fronts, with the sub and later on buy the center channel (CC-490), and then the surrounds (ADP-590). All that’s changed now. I’m more interested in squeezing as much great audio as I can from them. It’s like a drug, I want more. That’s why now I prefer to invest in a good DAC and a tube amp. I’d keep the Denon for movies though. After that I’ll get the other speakers and build the HT system.
Well guys sorry for such a long review. I just wanted to give my go on the matter, I know I would’ve appreciated to read every last bit of info on the speakers before I bit the bullet.

Stay Gold!

Not bad for an average joe as I myself am just an average joe. Good post!
The good thing about the Seismic sub is that it might appeal to some of the wives. When my wife seen it, she said "thats cute" lol. I was wondering on the performance of it myself, so its nice to see someone with experiance with it. I thought it would work well with the 20s and if someone wanted the 20s for a stereo application, the bulldog would be a cheaper option as opposed to a sub 12.

I should point out that its my wife that does the PBK. She has done that from day 1. Started with a dsp 3100, than added a dsp 3200, then replaced the 3100 with a 2nd 3200 and then I switched over to the studio series, I got a sub 12 and then a 2nd sub 12, Through all this she has always done the PBK and she seems to enjoy it.

Watt, they should fit flush. Im thinking there's some type of paint or junk within the threads of your studios... Since mine are not piano gloss, i never experienced the problem. My advice would be, to remove them off the J29 and simply chase the threads with the screws used to mount them until its effortless to insert and remove the screw. Ive attached pictures of my 20s on J29s to show you how mine look. I hope it helps.

Thanks Johnn! I appreciate ur input, hell of a wife you got there hehe.

Thanks Venomous! I really appreciate the pics. I'm gonna get on that right now. I'll let u know. Thanks!

Goodluck with it and keep us updated on the outcome. Make sure you are using the right screws and they aren't longer then you need to mount them. If your still having issues, a hardware store could supply you with the new screws. If for some reason that doesn't work, you could get a metric tap to clean those threads if new screws have the same issues.