Paradigm Signatures or XPA-1's for current setup??

[bigred7078]

Hmmm i have been contemplating this, but whats everyone else think.

Should i...

1. Go a different direction in my setup and go for the Paradigm Signature S6's and C3 in piano black....

or

2. Keep my current setup alive and get some XPA-1's ?

 

[Leonel R.]

Please tell me you're joking!? I thought I was bad with the constant changing of systems.

Anyway... personally, I would not sell off my system, to go with the anything less than the C5, or another S6. Another option would be three S4's across the front.

Btw, did you get your sub yet, received confirmation, charged for it, etc?

 

[bigred7078]

Please tell me you're joking!? I thought I was bad with the constant changing of systems.

Anyway... personally, I would not sell off my system, to go with the anything less than the C5, or another S6. Another option would be three S4's across the front.

Btw, did you get your sub yet, received confirmation, charged for it, etc?

LOL i know im terrible!! i love changing stuff around though. Im young, why do i need to have the same system for years to come? I like to give myself some experience hehe.

for my setup identical speakers across the front is not gonna work/ i don't even want to do that since i dont have a dedicated theater.

The C5 is really overkill unless you have the space. So the C3 should be plenty sufficient.

And no shipping yet on the sub, but when i called last week they said they should start shipping on the 14th... I guess we'll see.

 

[Leonel R.]

While the C3 is a nice center for its size, it just sounded a bit congested to me in comparison to the C5. The C5, to me, blended so well with both the S4's, and S6's that I demoed it with. I could literally close my eyes, and not decipher any difference whatsoever with a pan. With the C3, the transition just wasn't as seamless. Not to mention, the HUGE sound that came from the C5.

 

[FirstReflection]

So...you're young, rich, and already have a killer system?

Can I interest you in learning to donate to those who are less fortunate than yourself?

lol

 

[bigred7078]

So...you're young, rich, and already have a killer system?

Can I interest you in learning to donate to those who are less fortunate than yourself?

lol

lol well im not necessarily "rich". I just so happen to be able to feed my speaker hunger by being fortunate enough to work at an audio store. Hence good deals.

 

[bigred7078]

While the C3 is a nice center for its size, it just sounded a bit congested to me in comparison to the C5. The C5, to me, blended so well with both the S4's, and S6's that I demoed it with. I could literally close my eyes, and not decipher any difference whatsoever with a pan. With the C3, the transition just wasn't as seamless. Not to mention, the HUGE sound that came from the C5.

i would not necessarily say the C3 is congested, but perhaps in comparison to the "floorstander" of a center channel that the C5 is i can definately agree

But we all have our budgets and mine is probably going to be the C3...but there is always upgraditis

 

[FirstReflection]

I'm glad you're able to laugh along with some intended humor (not everyone around here can take a joke )

If I'm being serious though - what all do you have in the way of room treatments at the moment?

I ask because you already have some great speakers and more than adequate amplification. IMO, the greatest improvement in sound is going to come from acoustically optimizing your room.

If you've already treated your room though, then my vote would go to trying some new speakers. The amps that you already have - it would take a very rare circumstance for them to be the limiting factor in your system.

New speakers could (and probably would) make an immediately noticeable difference. Now, it might not necessarily be an "improvement". You're already at the level of gear where what you're mostly going for is a change, not an outright improvement.

And simply wanting something new to listen to, enjoy and ultimately change again at some point in the future - that's just what we home theatre nuts do! Just like any enthusiast of any hobby

So - if you haven't optimized your room with treatments, I'd go for that before anything else. But if you have, then I'd say your money would be "better" spent on new speakers. I put "better" in quotation marks because it isn't a case of expected improvement, but rather, in this case, just the way that spending your money is most likely to result in a significantly noticeable difference from what you already have.

And by the way, do you have the option to try some Linn speakers? Time and time again, I've found that so many people - not just myself - keep coming back to Linn speakers once we've heard them. It's almost hard to describe what it is exactly about their sound that is so appealing, but to me, it is just their complete and utter lack of any distortion and their unparallelled delineation. Want to pick one, lone instrument out of an orchestra and focus solely on that one instrument during a particular listening session? Linn speakers will let you do that. And it's darn hard to get away from that kind of sound for long before you find yourself coming back to it

 

[bigred7078]

I'm glad you're able to laugh along with some intended humor (not everyone around here can take a joke )

If I'm being serious though - what all do you have in the way of room treatments at the moment?

I ask because you already have some great speakers and more than adequate amplification. IMO, the greatest improvement in sound is going to come from acoustically optimizing your room.

If you've already treated your room though, then my vote would go to trying some new speakers. The amps that you already have - it would take a very rare circumstance for them to be the limiting factor in your system.

New speakers could (and probably would) make an immediately noticeable difference. Now, it might not necessarily be an "improvement". You're already at the level of gear where what you're mostly going for is a change, not an outright improvement.

And simply wanting something new to listen to, enjoy and ultimately change again at some point in the future - that's just what we home theatre nuts do! Just like any enthusiast of any hobby

So - if you haven't optimized your room with treatments, I'd go for that before anything else. But if you have, then I'd say your money would be "better" spent on new speakers. I put "better" in quotation marks because it isn't a case of expected improvement, but rather, in this case, just the way that spending your money is most likely to result in a significantly noticeable difference from what you already have.

And by the way, do you have the option to try some Linn speakers? Time and time again, I've found that so many people - not just myself - keep coming back to Linn speakers once we've heard them. It's almost hard to describe what it is exactly about their sound that is so appealing, but to me, it is just their complete and utter lack of any distortion and their unparallelled delineation. Want to pick one, lone instrument out of an orchestra and focus solely on that one instrument during a particular listening session? Linn speakers will let you do that. And it's darn hard to get away from that kind of sound for long before you find yourself coming back to it

acoustic materials already purchased

I actually just bought some Roxul http://www.atsacoustics.com/item--Roxul-Rockboard-60-Case-of-6--RB60.html and i will be framing them out and wrapping them in fabric soon.

Good recommendation though for sure.


And no i do not have any access to Linn product, but i have heard great things.

 

[FirstReflection]

Ha ha...cool! I know that acoustic panels aren't quite as "sexy" as new speakers, but in terms of actually improving your sound quality for the amount of money spent? Acoustic treatments are the king of value!

Yeah, the Paradigm speakers (and this is just MY opinion), they are just so darn...neutral. There's really just nothing "exciting" about their sound. They really do just "tell it like it is", so they almost have this sort of underwhelming moment when you first listen to them. Nothing really jumps out at you. They just do their job, get the hell out of the way of what ever you are playing and...there it is

So it's not like going to Maggies or Linn or Von Schweikert where there's that instant sort of "ooh...that's new!" reaction to their sound. You plop the Paradigms down, hook them up, play them and it's like, "whelp...here's your music..."

lol

 

[oppman99]

Hey Red,

Buy the 6's and if you don't like them, I'll buy them for what you paid . I actually pulled the trigger on a pair of XPA-1's this morning. I had to see for myself if the things everyone says about them are true. That and the possibility of version 3 Signatures coming this fall makes me think if I'm patient I can find a good deal on the used market for version 2. Good luck no matter which way you go. Remember, you can always add the other choice later.

 

[jostenmeat]

Ha ha...cool! I know that acoustic panels aren't quite as "sexy" as new speakers, but in terms of actually improving your sound quality for the amount of money spent? Acoustic treatments are the king of value!

I absolutely, wholeheartedly agree. However, there must be enough mass/panels to start enjoying substantial improvement. A pair of panels is not going to do much, and may in fact might be indiscernible. Double digit would be ideal.

And everything else FR said. Speakers before the amp, no brainer.

I can get a small idea of the layout by the avatar, but for the amount of money that might soon get laid out, could you consider putting the electronics away hidden from view? Then maybe sell the AV stand. That would allow you three identical speakers, all on the same plane, without having a very large mass ruin your imaging, causing unwanted comb filtering and/or diffractions.

You'd have the best possible acoustic match, best possible horizontal dispersion of dialogue (and all other audio from center), and best possible layout for panning effects with all drivers on the same respective plane.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Well said my friend, well said...

Ha ha...cool! I know that acoustic panels aren't quite as "sexy" as new speakers, but in terms of actually improving your sound quality for the amount of money spent? Acoustic treatments are the king of value!

Yeah, the Paradigm speakers (and this is just MY opinion), they are just so darn...neutral. There's really just nothing "exciting" about their sound. They really do just "tell it like it is", so they almost have this sort of underwhelming moment when you first listen to them. Nothing really jumps out at you. They just do their job, get the hell out of the way of what ever you are playing and...there it is

So it's not like going to Maggies or Linn or Von Schweikert where there's that instant sort of "ooh...that's new!" reaction to their sound. You plop the Paradigms down, hook them up, play them and it's like, "whelp...here's your music..."

lol

 

[nick1000000]

If you really want to get rid of your Vienna Acoustics for the paradigms I will gladly take them off your hands

 

[bigred7078]

You'd have the best possible acoustic match, best possible horizontal dispersion of dialogue (and all other audio from center), and best possible layout for panning effects with all drivers on the same respective plane.

As much as it is the best possible solution, its also terrible to look at in a everyday living room.

Perhaps that will come some day when i have an acoustically transparent screen, but for now thats a no go.

 

[bigred7078]

Hey Red,

Buy the 6's and if you don't like them, I'll buy them for what you paid . I actually pulled the trigger on a pair of XPA-1's this morning. I had to see for myself if the things everyone says about them are true. That and the possibility of version 3 Signatures coming this fall makes me think if I'm patient I can find a good deal on the used market for version 2. Good luck no matter which way you go. Remember, you can always add the other choice later.

HA! But yeah there should be decent deals on v2's once the v3's come out.

Let us know what you think of the XPA-1

 

[bigred7078]

Yeah, the Paradigm speakers (and this is just MY opinion), they are just so darn...neutral. There's really just nothing "exciting" about their sound. They really do just "tell it like it is", so they almost have this sort of underwhelming moment when you first listen to them. Nothing really jumps out at you. They just do their job, get the hell out of the way of what ever you are playing and...there it is

So it's not like going to Maggies or Linn or Von Schweikert where there's that instant sort of "ooh...that's new!" reaction to their sound. You plop the Paradigms down, hook them up, play them and it's like, "whelp...here's your music..."

lol

The Signatures are definately voiced to be very flat, but i dont know if that qualifies them as not being exciting. I was listening to the Signature v2 lineup today and they really are just fantastic speakers. I was listening to them against the Monitor Audio Gold Series lineup and the Signatures were just a much more accurate speaker. They did everything right.

Personally im not that big of a Magnepan, they just dont do it for me at all.

 

[bigred7078]

If you really want to get rid of your Vienna Acoustics for the paradigms I will gladly take them off your hands

vultures!!!

 

[Warpdrv]

The Signatures are definately voiced to be very flat, but i dont know if that qualifies them as not being exciting. I was listening to the Signature v2 lineup today and they really are just fantastic speakers. I was listening to them against the Monitor Audio Gold Series lineup and the Signatures were just a much more accurate speaker. They did everything right.

Personally im not that big of a Magnepan, they just dont do it for me at all.

I was about to say the same thing... Sig .v2's not exciting... PLEASE !!!

I has a 3-4 hour listening spree with the S6's and S8's side by side, and nothing about them was flat or blah to me whatsoever...

With that said, I have been poised to upgrade my Studio's .v4 to Sigs, but I am just going to have to wait until I see what comes up at Cedia... Got my tickets already.. tick tock...

 

[bigred7078]

I was about to say the same thing... Sig .v2's not exciting... PLEASE !!!

I has a 3-4 hour listening spree with the S6's and S8's side by side, and nothing about them was flat or blah to me whatsoever...

With that said, I have been poised to upgrade my Studio's .v4 to Sigs, but I am just going to have to wait until I see what comes up at Cedia... Got my tickets already.. tick tock...

Do you own a C3?