[Clayton]

Hello,


I’m in the process of buying a HT/music system. I have narrowed my choice to the Paradigm Reference- Studio 60, Studio CC, Studio ADP or Monitor Audio- Silver S8, S-LCR, SFX. I have listen to both but not A/B comparison. I would also appreciate any advice or opinions on either of these two.


Thanks


Clayton

 

[blkwrxwgn]

If you can pull it off I would try to save up a little more and get the S10. I've heard great things about the S8 but I've heard that it is totally lacking compared to the S10. I think it's worth the extra investment.


Oh and I would go Monitor Audio anyday over the paradigm but that is just me.

 

[vrao81]

Monitor Audio eats Paradigm for breakfast!


MA ALL DA WAY!!!

 

[EricD]

I wish people would say WHY something is better than something else besides the typical "these rule cause I own them!!!" responses.

 

[Mikeyb]

.01 or .02 cents worth - maybe .03:


I have listened to Paradigm Ref. 60's and the older Monitor Audio 5i series. I do not know how the 5i's compare to the new S series. My impression was that the 60's beat the 5i's, but not by a wide margin. The 5i's were not as tolerant of poor recordings. The 60's sounded more "lush" and gave more "emotion" than did the 5i's with almost all types of recordings (to me). But, in the 5i's favor, they were more rewarding of very good recordings. They were exceptionally clean with well-recorded acoustic music (so were the 60's). And actually, they both sound a little dull and muddy when playing very mediocre recordings. I can't imagine any non-true audiophile not loving either one. These comments are in regard to music only. For home theater, they are much more alike than different. I own the 60's and am currently looking at upgrading them. One of the speakers on my short list is the Monitor Audio Gold Ref. 20. I may not be able to use floorstanders in my new setup, so I am looking at bookshelf models as well.


My comments and opinions are not hard and fast. All areas I described evaluating both speakers were MUCH closer in performance than what I've indicated. There are differences, but they are subtle.


If you would like more opinion, my opinion of both companies goes something like this:


Monitor Audio attempts to make the source and electronics coming before them heard as true and uncolored as possible. Their upper lines acheive this more so than the lower. If this is true, then for some it may or may not be a good thing. For home theater, I believe it to be a good thing for just about anyone (unless using pretty poor electronics).


Paradigm colors the bass and/or upper midrange ever so slightly to sound good with just about anything. And I think they do this even with their Reference series. They add a little bass/midrange hump to extend those ranges over to the tweeter more than what an "uncolored" speaker does. This works in their favor because most people buying in this range want (and expect) their speakers to sound very good with all their material. This philosophy comes at the expense of what extremely good recordings and electronics are capable of though. While they still sound very good (even fantastic), they don't sound as good as they could if they remained true to whatever was coming in (in my example, a very good recording). A very good recording should not have any frequency range over emphasized, and the Paradigm's have this little hump I mentioned that does emphasize certain frequencies.


Keep in mind, all this is extremely minor for most people. I bought and have loved my 60's and don't regret my buying decision at all. Afterall, they have transitioned me from a very casual listener to a moderately critical listener. This may be more of a curse though.....

 

[nhparrot]

You need to A/B them in your room hooked up to your equipment. Arrange to get broken in pairs from the dealers.

 

[blkwrxwgn]

Quote:

Originally posted by EricD I wish people would say WHY something is better than something else besides the typical "these rule cause I own them!!!" responses.

Actually I don't own monitor audio speakers. Just from my listening to them over time.


I couldn't agree more with Mikeyb's comments on them. I like the detail that you get with the monitors. I think a true test of quality of a speaker is the fact that if you put trash in it then you get trash back but if you feed it good quality then you get good quality. I think that's better then a speaker that is designed to make everything sound "okay".

 

[WanMan]

Quote:

Originally posted by EricD I wish people would say WHY something is better than something else besides the typical "these rule cause I own them!!!" responses.

Maybe he can't.

 

[David Bott]

Note...As seems to always need to be mentioned...Speakers Are Subjective. You need to listen and find what you like. Thus threads like this are very subjective and usually biased to what one owns.


People have opinions...These are good to share...However, you need to listen.

 

[James R. Geib]

Both Monitor and Paradigm are excellent speakers. One doesn't 'color' the sound any more than the other. If you read any professional reviews on both you'd find that each has it's own attributes and detractors.


Do some listening for yourself and you'll hear which one you prefer. There are owners of both brands out there completely satisfied with their respective purchase.


For a combination music and H/T, which are all but inseparable now anyway, Paradigm is my choice. A very well rounded speaker, even making the finicky Stereophile's recommended list numerous times. One can look at frequency response curves for Paradigm speakers and see that they are pretty damn flat. I'm floored each time I turn up the volume.


The speakers in this case can speak for themselves. You wouldn't go wrong with either choice. Just be happy with what you choose.

 

[Gretsch]

yes, it's true, paradigm's crossovers are layered with crayola crayons.


both manufacturers make an excellent speaker. you won't go wrong with either choice. it's not like you are making a bad choice here. i like paradigm and i like monitor audio.

 

[WanMan]

metalaaron, I certainly do not understand your "yes, it's true, paradigm's crossovers are layered with crayola crayons" comment. You sound like someone that got burned. Did Paradigm give you a bad buying experience, or are yu naturally a bad-mouther? Really curious, here.


Of course, I'd assume you actually had a pair (of Paradigm Studio 60's) in your home, and tested with a variety of music/movies, source hardware, etc. and came to your informed conclusion. Afterall, we wouldn't want to think you are just mouthing off on something you have little/no basis for conclusion.

 

[Gretsch]

actually, i was being a [email protected]$$. i own paradigm speakers and I do not believe they are 'colored' by any means.

 

[WanMan]

Me, too. And on both accounts.

 

[Gretsch]

wanman, your posts continually try to spark a fight throughout these forums. i do not wake up in the morning with intentions of dead-end arguments over the internet. perhaps you can help users out by sharing knowledge rather than blowing smoke in a user's face.


eagerly awaiting a dead-end thread's closure.

 

[WanMan]

Huh? I did not realize this. Sorry if you think that with my my posts continually try to spark a fight on these forums. My intention(s) isn't to spark a fight anymore so than yours, and even not at that. I wonder how come this wasn't been brought to my attention yesterday, or the day before that, or the day before that ... and so on.


If you honestly feel that this is the only thing I am doing (i.e. trying to spark a fight), then you have two options: a) report me to David Bott, the system administrator, and b) add me to your ignore list on this forum.


Obviously, by placing me on your ignore list there certainly isn't anything I could/would/have say/said that would be of any interest to you. Right? So do it and get on with life. BTW, I can be as facetious as you can be in replying to someone.

 

[blkwrxwgn]

I think that "owners" of the speakers should keep their mouths shut. It should be people that have actually listened to both speakers. You guys keep coming in here and defending your purchase. Sorry if "your" speaker doesn't sound as good up against another speaker. Live with it and move on.


Let the people who have actually shopped both of them make the comments. From my listening I felt that the paradigm's did sound a little colored compared to the monitors. I don't own either of them but that's what I heard.


Like how everybody knocks the rocket or Onix ref owners that are going out there and doing A/B listening. "oh oh oh my speaker doesn't sound like that". It does sound like that to somebody and somebody who is comparing it to another speaker that might be superior.

 

[WanMan]

And what about those that a) have listened to both speakers (your qualifier) and own one set of those speakers (your disqualifier)? BTW, I do believe the poster ask for opinion.

 

[EricD]

Actually, I just wanted a little more input on posts from owners or shoppers. People who just say "these speakers rock!" or "these are better than those" without saying WHY should not even post.


We are trying to exchange information here to help others troubleshoot, configure or purchase various A/V gear. Chestpounding doesn't contribute to the boards one bit; we need more posts like mikeb's.


An issue that I have found with HT is that it seems to be much more "in your face" type material that doesn't care about colorations of the sound, just the impact of sound to help add to the experiences. Take "Attack of the Clones" first scene for example. That damn pulsating engine splats my Polk's cones every time! I'm only running 100 watts to them and receiver is on 3.5 volume and the speakers are rated at 250 watts. That sound was designed for a 12" + duel voice coiled sub, not my passive radiator and 2 6.5 drivers in my monitors.


I feel that it really is hard to have an "in your face" type HT setup and have the purity and smoothness of a true reference speaker; thus hearing the experiences of users who try to get both is very enlightening.

 

[blkwrxwgn]

Quote:

Originally posted by WanMan And what about those that a) have listened to both speakers (your qualifier) and own one set of those speakers (your disqualifier)? BTW, I do believe the poster ask for opinion.

If you have listened to the new S8 and compared it to what you own in an A/B process then GREAT! That's a good comparison. Maybe I was a little harsh in the way I brought that across but I seriously doubt that many people have heard both side by side.