I finally got my Paradigm Studio 60 speakers!

[JDawg]

A few months ago I came on here asking for advice on if I should get the Paradigm Studio 60 or Energy RC70 speakers. Thanks to the helpful advice on here I finally bought the Studio 60 and a CC590 center speaker when they went on sale. I'll admit that once I got them home they didn't sound quite as good as what I remembered when I heard them in the store. They do sound better and more detailed compared to my old JBL speakers but its like there's something missing. I'm not sure how to describe it but it doesn't sound as full as what I heard in the store. The only differnce is that they were using an separate amplifier to power the speakers so would that have made a difference?

The manual says to break them in for several hours so how many hours would be good for break in? I have some music playing while I'm at work all day to help speed up the break in process.

 

[mperfct]

Speaker break-in occurs in less than a second. If there is a difference between what you heard in the store and what you hear now, it could be that you have some suck-outs in the lower frequencies in your room and that you need to look at room acoustics. Speaker-in-room performance should smoke anything you hear at the store, unless you listened to them in a dedicated, acoustically-treated demo room.

Good luck.

 

[snmhanson]

Congrats on your speakers. I have been lusting after those same speakers for quite a while now. I am currently looking at PSB Imagines as well but everytime I see the Studios I get drawn back in. Did you get V4s or V5s? What made you decide to go with the CC590 center versus the cc690 (price or did it seem to be a better fit with the Studio 60s)? As far as break-in, I am no expert but I have heard that speakers, and Paradigms in particular, take several hours of break-in and that it will significantly affect their performance. Take what I say with a grain of salt though because I am a newbie at all of this - but I have done a fair amount of research. In any case, keep us posted on if/how the speakers change over time and your ongoing impressions of them.

Matt

 

[mperfct]

http://www.audioholics.com/education/loudspeaker-basics/speaker-break-in-fact-or-fiction

 

[Highbar]

What are you using to drive the 60's? You said the store was using a separate amp which depending on how powerful it was will have some difference. Next to that I would have to think it's something to do with the room. How do you have the speakers setup? Where are they located in the room?

 

[jostenmeat]

A few months ago I came on here asking for advice on if I should get the Paradigm Studio 60 or Energy RC70 speakers. Thanks to the helpful advice on here I finally bought the Studio 60 and a CC590 center speaker when they went on sale. I'll admit that once I got them home they didn't sound quite as good as what I remembered when I heard them in the store. They do sound better and more detailed compared to my old JBL speakers but its like there's something missing. I'm not sure how to describe it but it doesn't sound as full as what I heard in the store. The only differnce is that they were using an separate amplifier to power the speakers so would that have made a difference?

The manual says to break them in for several hours so how many hours would be good for break in? I have some music playing while I'm at work all day to help speed up the break in process.

The difference is the room, where you sit, where the speakers sit, and the placements of treatments (or lack thereof).

Anyone who is versed in acoustics will say that over half what you hear is the room itself. The answers might only vary in that some say it's a bit over half what you hear, and others will say it's upward of 80% of what you hear.

Common culprits might include being too close to rear wall as a listener, sitting in a bad null like mperfct suggests, having speakers too far apart, having speakers too close together, having them too close to side walls, having them too close to front wall, even worse being too close to both side and front wall (corner), and then the worst of all is just having a terrible room (perfectly square for instance).

In any case, when you said, "The only differnce is that they were using an separate amplifier to power the speakers . . .", that is not true, and I wanted to clarify that.

 

[oppman99]

I know I will take some heat for this but here goes.....I noticed a big improvement in my Studio 100's when I added an Emotiva amp (Had been running them off a Yamaha RXV-2500 before). I don't care if it's measureable or just in my head. I was happy with the addition and consider it money well spent. Nuff said. No need to have the same arguements over and over again.

Room treatments are always a good call. Also, give your ears some time to adjust (read break in).

 

[TLS Guy]

I have not heard the studio 60, but I did an audition of the studio 100 a few weeks ago with my friend Phil Marin. This was the first auditioning of a Paradigm speaker for both of us. I auditioned it in a good room at a dealer I have known for years. The test was the fourth movement of the Sibelius symphony No. 2 from Telarc. This is a good recording. The amplifying equipment was by Rotel. The speaker was mainly compared with the B & W 803s.

Both myself and Phil thought the Monitor 100 speakers were poor, and not worth the asking price.

Right from the first violin cord, the speakers disappointed. The treble was harsh and the mid range shouty. The bass was very tubby and bloated.

Nothing was well balanced. The violins were stealy with no bloom and the brass was of the flat out harsh, bore a whole in your head variety.

The B & W 803s speakers on the other hand sounded marvelous. I know these speakers were twice the price, however they were worth more than 20 times the price of the Paradigm. In fact in our view, the Paradigms could bring less musical pleasure than a lot of portable radios, to the music we auditioned. They are in my book, in the perfectly dreadful category.

 

[oppman99]

TLS Guy,

Are you talking about the Studio or Monitor line? You are mixing names/numbers from two separate lines. I could see that being your assessment of the monitor line, but it is very different from my experience with the Studios. Just curious.

 

[TLS Guy]

TLS Guy,

Are you talking about the Studio or Monitor line? You are mixing names/numbers from two separate lines. I could see that being your assessment of the monitor line, but it is very different from my experience with the Studios. Just curious.

Sorry, I did mix up. It was the Studio 100 we auditioned. This one.

 

[UncleCheese]

In fact in our view, the Paradigms could bring less musical pleasure than a lot of portable radios, to the music we auditioned. They are in my book, in the perfectly dreadful category.

I'm not trying to be a fanboy or anything but even the Monitor line does not deserve the "portable radio" comment. Not even close. Your opinion though.

 

[TLS Guy]

I'm not trying to be a fanboy or anything but even the Monitor line does not deserve the "portable radio" comment. Not even close. Your opinion though.

I'm much happier with a small full ranger in a portable radio, than a poorly balanced multi way speaker. That Studio 100 was a poorly balanced speaker in my view, and turned the blazing glorious brass of the last movement of the Sibelius second into an excruciatingly unpleasant experience for both of us. We both rated it just another among the many poorly designed and balanced speakers too numerous to count.

 

[UncleCheese]

I'm much happier with a small full ranger in a portable radio, than a poorly balanced multi way speaker. That Studio 100 was a poorly balanced speaker in my view, and turned the blazing glorious brass of the last movement of the Sibelius second into an excruciatingly unpleasant experience for both of us. We both rated it just another among the many poorly designed and balanced speakers too numerous to count.

Hmmm...not sure what to say.

 

[billy p]

Hmmm...not sure what to say.

There is nothing to say....I feel the same when I hear classical music! To each their own! FWIW.... I would love to own a pair of Studios.

 

[PENG]

I don't care if it's measureable or just in my head. I was happy with the addition and consider it money well spent. Nuff said. No need to have the same arguements over and over again.

I am not aware of anyone arguing with you so unless I am missing something there is no need to........ You heard what you heard and others heard what they heard. For me, I had previously A/B a 2400 (less power than your 2500) with Anthem separates driving a pair of Studio 100 V3 with a few friends and none (including 2 piano players) heard much differences. Again, no arguments whatsoever from me, just different experience for whatever reasons.

Room treatments are always a good call. Also, give your ears some time to adjust (read break in).

I fully agree.

 

[fredk]

There is nothing to say....I feel the same when I hear classical music! To each their own! FWIW.... I would love to own a pair of Studios.

I like classical music, but that was funny!

As far as what to say, the measurements just don't bear out tlsguys view of these speakers.

 

[Davemcc]

Both myself and Phil thought the [Studio] 100 speakers were poor, and not worth the asking price.

You're not the only ones that feels this way. I don't want to take a dump on the guy's new speakers but messing around with placement and acoustic treatment options will help get the best sound out of them.

 

[PENG]

I can't believe he said those things about the Studio 100. I have no doubt the B&W803 are much better speakers but I was quite impressed with the Studio 100 V3 when I was shopping for speakers a few years ago. One would think that the V5 can only be better.

 

[billy p]

I like classical music, but that was funny!

As far as what to say, the measurements just don't bear out tlsguys view of these speakers.

My mother always said, " if you don't have anything nice to say than don't say anything at all". BTW I like some classical from T-T....

You're not the only ones that feels this way. I don't want to take a dump on the guy's new speakers but messing around with placement and acoustic treatment options will help get the best sound out of them.

Negative but in a nice kind of way...

I can't believe he said those things about the Studio 100. I have no doubt the B&W803 are much better speakers but I was quite impressed with the Studio 100 V3 when I was shopping for speakers a few years ago. One would think that the V5 can only be better.

I don't belive that TLS cared which version they where maybe all that brass and woodwinds he listen to have skewed his hearing a bit?

BTW...jk...but TLS you should really lighten up...

 

[Matt34]

My mother always said, " if you don't have anything nice to say than don't say anything at all". BTW I like some classical from T-T....

Negative but in a nice kind of way...


I don't belive that TLS cared which version they where maybe all that brass and woodwinds he listen to have skewed his hearing a bit?

BTW...jk...but TLS you should really lighten up...

You also must realize that TLS Guy has a DIY system that very, very few, if any, commercial offerings could even come close to. His standards just may be a little bit higher than us mere mortals.