Paradigm Reference Hybrid Millenia In/On Wall Speakers

[admin]

While the marketing literature for the new Paradigm Reference Hybrid Millenia speakers are full of fancy explanations and made up words for "we used AutoCAD," the speakers look to be well designed and certainly are priced right. While some might argue that an in-wall speaker should be invisible, with a speaker with as many styling cues as the Hybrid Millenia, that'd be a shame. And come on, you don't buy "Reference" speakers to hide them in a wall do you?

Discuss "Paradigm Reference Hybrid Millenia In/On Wall Speakers" here. Read the article.

 

[scott911]

"full of fancy explanations and made up words"
~ thanks for keeping it real dogs!

I think this is a great concept the in -wall AND on wall combo and recommend this to anyone dealing with a WAF that is making getting floorstanders a problem.

I've very much enjoy the visual punch of my axiom achitecturate in-wall and on-wall. So I agree with the reviewer about no need to hide speakers - epecially when the slight protrusion enhanced the sound quality...

 

[fast1]

hmm i don't get it, how does the protrusion help to enhance the sound quality?

 

[fredk]

The shape and size of your front baffle will affect the sound

 

[ivseenbetter]

So how do they sound. I "may" be looking to replace rockets with inwalls and these are priced right.

 

[ozmedia]

While the marketing literature for the new Paradigm Reference Hybrid Millenia speakers are full of fancy explanations and made up words for "we used AutoCAD," the speakers look to be well designed and certainly are priced right.

Not to mention the name which nears the type of marketing used by white van guys.
I have sold Paradigm, many, many years ago and find they make an excellent product but "reference, hybrid, millenia" ?
It's a reference speaker, made to be more fuel efficient and designed with a better clock so that it won't crash at midnight on Jan31st 1999.

The only buzzword they missed was DIGITAL (oooh ahhh digital!)

But what made me stop and post was the comment: " those Canadians do love their metal dome tweeters don't they".

Now I'm not being a defensive Canadian but, as you guys LOVE anything RBH touches (and justifiably so) and RBH is famed for their aluminum dome tweeters, how can you pin aluminum tweeters as a Canadian thing?
Layton Utah is in the USA, isn't it?

 

[ivseenbetter]

I thought we were supposed everything on Canada....

I'm just joking. It just made me think of the South Park movie with the "Blame Canada" song.

 

[westcott]

hmm i don't get it, how does the protrusion help to enhance the sound quality?

I don't get it either. NO in wall speaker is going to sound as good as a free standing unit.

So why have it visible if the only reason you are buying it in the first place is to placate the significant other?

 

[ivseenbetter]

I don't understand why an "inwall/onwall" can't sound as good as a free standing unit. Is it really that much of an engineering nightmare?

 

[westcott]

I don't understand why an "inwall/onwall" can't sound as good as a free standing unit. Is it really that much of an engineering nightmare?

A speaker design is pretty much reliant on its enclosure. The better the enclosure design, the better the speaker usually sounds. Limiting yourself to 16 inch wall stud widths, and 4ish inch depths, is the real issue.

Second, speakers eminate sound in all directions, not just out the face. That is why speaker placement is just as, if not more important than speaker design. Speakers should be placed away from walls and any obstructions to provide the best sound and flat frequency response. Another factor is how are you going to test your speaker placement? Keep cutting holes in the wall until you find a place that provides a flatter frequency response? I think not. This is the same problem with IB subwoofer designs. If you can not test placement, then you are just guessing and not providing the best placement possible and testing is out the window!!!

Speaker placement is probably the biggest mistake made among sound system designs. It is rarely done or considered when a layout and placement is being done. More often than not, asthetics take precedent and sound quality takes a back seat.

 

[ozmedia]

I don't get it either. NO in wall speaker is going to sound as good as a free standing unit.

They can be pretty damn close and at a much lower cost. Take the RBH Signature line for example, they have a reference series in-wall with custom fitted backbox that would blow your mind for less than half the cost of the equivalent cabinet model. Having seen them in many really high end, custom theatres, my view was changed, as I once felt like you did in that freestanding models always sound better. But these top of the line in-walls (SI-6100/R) actually sound better than spending the same money on cab speakers, especially when compared to other brands.

Not always true but again it just illustrates that there are some really high end and high quality in-walls that sound as good or better than spending the same money on a freestanding model.

 

[westcott]

They can be pretty damn close and at a much lower cost. Take the RBH Signature line for example, they have a reference series in-wall with custom fitted backbox that would blow your mind for less than half the cost of the equivalent cabinet model. Having seen them in many really high end, custom theatres, my view was changed, as I once felt like you did in that freestanding models always sound better. But these top of the line in-walls (SI-6100/R) actually sound better than spending the same money on cab speakers, especially when compared to other brands.

Not always true but again it just illustrates that there are some really high end and high quality in-walls that sound as good or better than spending the same money on a freestanding model.

View attachment 7401

NO matter how well it is designed, placement is still the a critical factor for a flat frequency response.

 

[scott911]

"NO matter how well it is designed, placement is still the a critical factor for a flat frequency response."

agreed. I think poster was talking about the fact that a well engineered in/ & on wall speaker CAN be engeineered to similar quality standards as a traditional speaker.

I agree with placement comments. Keep in mind a in-wall / on wall model can be hooked up and tested & positoned pretty well before you put out the drywall saw. Anyway - I was happy I went that route.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I might be willing to try them.

 

[fredk]

Now I'm not being a defensive Canadian but, as you guys LOVE anything RBH touches (and justifiably so) and RBH is famed for their aluminum dome tweeters, how can you pin aluminum tweeters as a Canadian thing?
Layton Utah is in the USA, isn't it?

Send 'em a 24, call them honourary Canadians and we're all good.

 

[ozmedia]

No doot a boot it, eh?

Send 'em a 24, call them honourary Canadians and we're all good.

You forgot the pound of back bacon and a touque, that's more east coast though, eh?

 

[TRT]

So how do they sound. I "may" be looking to replace rockets with inwalls and these are priced right.

One thing's for sure: It will be very difficult to audition these speakers.