Paradigm Owners Thread - Page 13

Like s2, I have the same set-up but using SR15s for the surrounds.

Having a sub to me, makes a substantial difference. A sub better accommodates low frequencies that the 60s would not carry as well in music that I listen to. Don't get me wrong, music still sounds great, just better with a sub, IMO.

I think that $1500 is MSRP for v.1, v.2 is $2200. Yes, to some "just low notes", but to others an enhancement to the listening experience with a sub that can handle low notes without audible distortion at "loud/reference" levels (for music).

Do you have SA-15R's as surrounds? I have Studio 60's and the CC-470, and I'm looking for surrounds. I'm considering the SA-15R's in my 9' ceiling. How well do they work as surround speakers? Are they pretty easy to install, and do they come with all the mounting hardware you need?

Yes, and you're correct, SA-15R (not sure why I listed what I did?).

I have never installed in ceiling/wall speakers before, so didn't want to experiment on my room, and I didn't have the tools (dry-wall saw, fish-rod are some excuses ). Joking aside, and having seen the installers do it, I think I could have done it with a help of a buddy and the tools.

Yes, the speakers come with the needed brackets. Depending where your room is, it may be better to run the wires through the ceiling or the crawl space. In my case, the wire was ran through the crawl space and up the wall and across the ceiling to each speaker. This required only one hole to be cut (in addition to the two for the speakers).

I too have 9' ceilings, and so the speakers are roughly seven feet from my ears in the "money seat". This may not be ideal for surrounds, however, based on my room layout this was the best option - for me. I am happy with this decision as I didin't have the wall to mount on one side, I don't have to deal with anyone bumping into them and it freed up space. Equally important it meets my performance/need for surround speakers. I calibrated my speakers and set the rears slightly higher than the fronts. I think that this was more due to personal preference rather than the speakers being in-ceiling. When a friend and I were calibrating his speakers, we both preferred his bi-poles up a few dbs higher as well - again, I think this is just preference.

Finally, I think they work great for surrounds.

My room is only 16.5 x 11 and I was using a pair of 20's ver.2 for my rears. While they were nice for surround music I didn't think I was getting very good surround for movies since they were so directional at the position and distance they were relegated to. So I put a pair of SA-15R's in my 9' high ceiling and it seems to be much better. Even though they're a mono-pole I do get more reflection off the side and back wall then before. They were pretty easy to install. Paradigm includes a cut-out template and instructions. My ceiling leads into the attic so wiring was a cinch for me.

One thing I didn't consider that I would have liked to try is this:
I went with an in-ceiling rear set-up because there was a door on one side and a built-in bookcase on the other wall where you would normally put the surround ADPs. When I was at Cedia I took a surround sound class from John Dahl of THX and an HT architectural design class taught by Tony Grimani of PMI. They both favored di-pole speakers even if you were ceiling mounting. Paradigm doesn't really make a di-pole in-wall so I'm wondering how well a pair of ADPs attached to the ceiling just behind the main seating would work over the flush mounted ceiling speakers in the rear? My ceiling's black so even though they would be external I think they would probably disappear visually. I might give it a try one day if I come across a used pair sometime.

kevin

What attracted me to the SR15's was the unique manner in which they disperse the sound -- sort of a hybrid between di-pole and mono-pole. Anyway, I also have them about seven feet diagonally from my main listening position and I couldn't be happier with the acoustics, listening experience for both movies and surround music and overall sound quality. I had a set of Klipsch's on stands before, and besides being physically in the way and upsetting my wife's sense of room decor, they were just too forward and "in your face" for surrounds. The SR15's pipe in just fine when those planes fly overhead in movies, and also create just the right concert ambience whether I'm listening to SACD or DVD-Audio multichannel music, or the crowd noise at a sports event being broadcast in Dolby Digital 5.1.

Your set-up and experiences mirror my own. I know I'm happier with the SR15's when listening to surround SACD's then I would be with the ADP's. I'd still like to experiment with attaching ADP's to the ceiling even knowing it would probably be overkill running 7.1 for movies in my current room set-up. I could then turn the ADP's off when listening to music. Maybe one day. But then again, maybe not.

kevin

I'm a total newbie here after reading all weekend. I need a little help. Today I scored a mint pair of studio 100 v2s. I realize that I need to get an appropriate pre/pro and amp to drive these babies but for now I have hooked them up to my Yamaha RX-540. The specs on this say it delivers 80W from 20Hz to 20 KHz with 0.06% THD at 8 ohms. At what point should I worry about damaging these speaker with this unit until I get something better?

I'm looking at adding a 470 or a 570 CC. I'm using Triad Omni gold in-ceiling speakers for my surrounds. Any thoughts about this?

I realize that answering newbie questions gets old. I will be grateful for any time ya'll can offer.

BTW, these speakers are just outstanding compared to anything I've ever owned, or maybe even heard. I'm starting to understand why someone would spend so much money on a sound system. I'm really enjoying listening to music that I've never heard this way before.

Thanks

The 100's can handle a lot of power and play clean. If you hear any kind of distortion, that's probably your amp clipping. I'd say never crank up your reciever all the way even though the 100's will invite you to, if you leave room for your receiver to handle dynamic peaks you'll be fine.

Hello all I am looking to upgrade to Studio 40's Can someone explain the diffrence in V.2- V.3 ? I see the V.2 are rear ported with 2 ports & the V.3 is one front port .
Please help Thanks ~

- Kal Rubinson wrote a great review on the Studio 60 v.3 which lists the difference between the v.3 and v.2. The Studio 40 is virtually identical but doesn't have the lower end that the Studio 60 does.

http://stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/1204paradigm/

Too little power can be more damaging than too much (to a point). I wouldn't crank it until you get an amp on them.

As far as your center channel, why not get a v.2? It would come closer to matching your main l/r speakers than a v.3 center.

Triad Omni? Never heard of them. If they blend well, keep them.

Thanks ya'll. I ordered a CC-570 v3 today. Only the tweeter will vary in tone. It should be OK according to the tech at Paradigm. A v2 would be better but I couldn't find a used one and I'll get this one at cost.

I also ordered an Anthem AVM30 today. I'll borrow a Rotel Amp for now. I was really interested in the outlaw 990/770 combo but all the experts I know ganged up on me and convinced me that Anthem was a lot more likely to be around in the future. I got a terrific deal on the AVM30. So far so good. I'm almost broke though. All these outstanding deals have got me just about in the poor house. Last year it was the plasma. This year it's the sound.

I love these speakers.

Of couse, a sell was made.

yeppers

Finally ordered a CC470 to match my 20's!! I've been using my older 370 from my Mini Monitor setup for the past 6 months or so, but I finally managed to stash away enough pennies for the Studio CC. Unfortunately, my dealer only stocks them in black, and as I really wanted the cherry finish to match my 20s, I'm stuck waiting a week or two for it to show up. It's been a few days already and I'm already anxiously awaiting the phone call... "It's in!!"
Looking forward to posting impressions of the upgrade.
Waiting is never easy...

Keep your eye on the Anthem thread as a major up date should be coming out for the 30 in the next few months.

I know about the update. Do you think upgrading will be more expensive than waiting? I thought that the current model would be fully upgraded at that time.

Make no mistake. You can and will blow (the tweeters at the very least) on the 100s with that or almost any receiver or amp if driven to clipping.
The problem is that no one can tell you what volume setting is safe due to the different nature of the volume pots in pre-amps, the output level and quality of your playback source, the recording level and quality of your software and the way they interact with whatever power amp you are using.
I'll give you an example.
My old setup was a Rotel RSX1055 receiver. Not a bad piece as far as receivers go and rated at 75w/pc. With that receiver I could turn the volume up to around 75 safely w/o any distortion or clipping. I then purchased an Aragon 8008 power amp rated at 200 w/pc and used the rotel as a pre-pro. With that setup I could still turn the vol to about 75 w/o distortion or clipping. Of course the sound was considerably better and louder but still safe. Then I changed CD players. My new CDP had a higher output than my previous and suddenly my safety limit was around 60-65 depending on the CD. I could run it at 65 with some CDs but only 60 with others.
I then eliminated the Rotel and went to a 2ch Acurus preamp along with the Aragon amp. Now I can only put volume up to just over half with most CDs. The sound at that setting is huge. If I left it at the limit and changed CDs I run the risk of a blowup if the next CD is recorded at a higher level or poorly recorded.
So in my humble opinion you can only find the safe limit yourself. If the sound is good, clear and undistorted at a level and then sounds strained and/or compressed and/or distorted with a volume setting increase you are reaching the beginning of clipping. This holds true with any sys no matter how cheap or expensive and will be a different setting on every sys.
Do not make the mistake of finding the limit and the changing CDs or sources w/o first reducing the volume unless you know the level of the next source or CD is lower. I gurantee you that if you get in the habit of leaving the vol at the limit and changing CDs you will eventually blow your spreakers no matter what brand or size and no matter what equipment you are using to drive those speakers.
Steve

Thank you Steve.

Hello again~
So I will be upgrading my Paradigm Mini Monitors V.1 to Studio 40's soon!
I am looking@ 2 pairs of used 40's One V.2 and one v.3 There is a $200 difrence in the v.2 & v.3
should I try & scrape up the extra $200 for the v.3 s? I think the 40's V.2 should blow away my Mini Monitors so do I need to go the extra cost ?
Thanks for your trhoughts ~

Antman

Are you interested in selling Paradigm Mini Monitors? I have Paradigm Mini Monitors as front speakers and would like another set for the rear.

Thanks

Yes I will be selling them , send me a pm

I personally wouldn't spend an extra $200 to get v3s. I'd put that toward 60s if anything, but just get the 40 v2s.

I was looking into getting a pair of 60,s But the funiture we picked out is longer than we expected so the 40's will sit on the new Tv stand.

I have Performance Legend V3s for the mains, CC170 V3 for the center and Atom V3s for the surrounds. Driven by an Onkyo reciever supplied by spdif from a HTPC. Future plans for a Signiture setup in the basement HT (whenever I get off my lazy arse and finish off the basement )

Best thing I ever did for soundstage and overall 2 ch quality was get rid of the big box TV sitting between the two of them (switched to a wall hung plasma behind them). It helped multi channel a bit, but it made a great difference in 2 ch audio.

-Suntan

I talked to local paradigm dealer. Told him I have studio reference speakers up front for new dedicated theater. Wanted info on adp-170. He said that he thought the cinema adp speakers were Better (and less expensive)

Does anyone have any opinion on matter. Is there a better fit for my fronts?

Thanks

Steve

I currently have the Cinema ADPs. I haven't heard the ADP-170s, but I do like my Cinemas. I'm sure the 170s probably sound a little better, but since I live in an apartment, there's no reason for me to get something better. At roughly $200/pr (depending on where they are purchased), they would be a solid purchase if you were trying to save a little money. I'm sure the difference isn't drastic, so in the end, it's your call whether the extra cash is worth it.

I've been wondering why my B&W N804s don't image better, and I recently read on the B&W website that objects placed between the speakers can have a major adverse effect. Due the restraints of NYC apartment living, all of my audio components plus my plasma display are stored inside a 6'x4'x2' (HxWxD) oak armoire. The speakers are placed 3-4 feet on either side of the armoire. Otherwise the room is pretty well treated with carpet and soft furniture, and the listening position is dead center in a triangle from the speakers. I assume the armoire is the culprit here...

I ask on this thread because this weekend I'm setting up a second system with Studio 60s . Guess what: between them will reside a monolithic (and inherited) Sony RPTV... Damn. Maybe I should dump the TV and install a projector in this room. In this case I only have about three feet between the TV and the side walls, and the 60s will be slotted in those spaces.

Does anyone know where I can look for more information about the effect placing objects between speakers? This is frustrating...

I'll say this having gone from RPTV to FP.
If you get a good CRT or quality digital minimum 1280X720 resolution FP there is no going back to RPTV. Its that much better IMO.