Paradigm Wins!

[cowboy2006]

Finally decided on my speaker system (see Paradigm System Two):
http://www.paradigm.com/Website/SiteParadigmProduct/ParadigmModels/SystemChoice/systems.html

The only difference with mine is I'm using Atoms for the surrounds instead of the ADP-170s.

My Yamaha HTR-5890 arrived on Monday and I bought the speakers last night. It sounds truly amazing! I have it setup temporarily in the basement for now and will be installing it in the family room this weekend. I couldn't be happier!

I listened to Infinity, Polk, Klipsch, Energy & Def Tech before deciding. I chose not to listen to B&W last night...didn't want to tempt myself.

[Previous related post:http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22913]

(By the way, my wife pulled up Audioholics.com from our browser history. She said "The first step is admitting you have a problem." OK, I admit it.)

 

[captain_tinker]

cowboy,
Sounds like your wife has a good sense of humor about all this, that's great! I also have a pair of Titans for my fronts, I love them. My placement could probably be better though. Never thought about using Atoms for surrounds, that's a good idea. I went with the CC-270 instead of the 170 for a center, so far so good. I don't have surrounds or a sub yet, but I have thought maybe get some larger floor standing speakers in a few years, and use the Titans as my surrounds. So did you get the PDR-10 for the sub? What do you think? I haven't had a chance to audition it yet.

-capT

 

[j_garcia]

My first HT was similar. I had Titans up front and Atoms in the back with a 170. I quickly swapped the Atoms out for another pair Titans. It was a good setup for the price. Seriously, if you are looking at these guys, you should at least consider an SVS SBS-01 package - about the same price and will give you better performance. I would also HIGHLY recommend you skip the Paradigm sub (their lower subs aren't very good).

 

[mazersteven]

My first HT was similar. I had Titans up front and Atoms in the back with a 170. I quickly swapped the Atoms out for another pair Titans. It was a good setup for the price. Seriously, if you are looking at these guys, you should at least consider an SVS SBS-01 package - about the same price and will give you better performance. I would also HIGHLY recommend you skip the Paradigm sub (their lower subs aren't very good).

I agree about the SVS system. Not that you picked out a bad system, but I feel the SVS will perform better. Alot Better.

 

[Kai]

Nice system cowboy.
I have basically the same system switching the RX-V659 with your receiver...I believe they are in fact the same...The HTR models go to the "big box" stores while the RX models go to shops like Tweeter, etc...that is where I bought mine.
I also have the PDR-12 sub...Just got it and really love it...I considered the SVS 10 but just hate to buy anything I can't listen to so after auditioning the sub at my house for a few days I decided I was very happy with it and the salesman gave me a great price as well so no complaints.

Enjoy your system.

 

[pikers]

(By the way, my wife pulled up Audioholics.com from our browser history. She said "The first step is admitting you have a problem." OK, I admit it.)

Too bad your cable box doesn't keep a record of how many times We TV or HGTV was tuned into.

 

[Johnd]

Good to hear you're happy with the 'digms cowboy. New Berlin, huh? I'm just a few miles from you on the east side. Anyway, I was sold on Paradigm too upon listening to them (Studio 100's, cc-570, Servo-15 and 4 mini's). Happy listening!

 

[cowboy2006]

I was up until 1:30am last night...drinking Leinys...wiring my new HT system...does it get any better?

First things I listened to:

Batman Begins (happened to be showing on Showtime)​

Creed/Nickelback (mind you, this is 1:30am. I couldn't crank it)​

Finding Nemo (that little THX animation in the beginning)​

Looking forward to:
U571, War of the Worlds, etc.

I really like the whole package. I did consider the SVS, but I agree I'm not eager to purchase speakers without hearing them (even though I could return them). Maybe if I was replacing or substituting a speaker I would consider it.

I also needed to secure the Titans to the stands. I got a 1yr old boy who surely would pull them off. I used velcro cable straps and wrapped them around the speaker. Kind of white trashy but they really blend in well with the black ash speaker...you don't even see them.

I am interested in what DSP options you Yamaha guys out there prefer for music or movies?

 

[mazersteven]

I was up until 1:30am last night...drinking Leinys...wiring my new HT system...does it get any better?

First things I listened to:

Batman Begins (happened to be showing on Showtime)​

Creed/Nickelback (mind you, this is 1:30am. I couldn't crank it)​

Finding Nemo (that little THX animation in the beginning)​

Looking forward to:
U571, War of the Worlds, etc.

I really like the whole package. I did consider the SVS, but I agree I'm not eager to purchase speakers without hearing them (even though I could return them). Maybe if I was replacing or substituting a speaker I would consider it.

I also needed to secure the Titans to the stands. I got a 1yr old boy who surely would pull them off. I used velcro cable straps and wrapped them around the speaker. Kind of white trashy but they really blend in well with the black ash speaker...you don't even see them.

I am interested in what DSP options you Yamaha guys out there prefer for music or movies?

Make sure you demo Finding Nemo (When Darla taps on the Fish Tank). Also War of the Worlds (Scene 5)

 

[j_garcia]

NO DSPs!!!

Throw in The Incredibles too

 

[cam]

Finally decided on my speaker system (see Paradigm System Two):
http://www.paradigm.com/Website/SiteParadigmProduct/ParadigmModels/SystemChoice/systems.html

The only difference with mine is I'm using Atoms for the surrounds instead of the ADP-170s.

My Yamaha HTR-5890 arrived on Monday and I bought the speakers last night. It sounds truly amazing! I have it setup temporarily in the basement for now and will be installing it in the family room this weekend. I couldn't be happier!

I listened to Infinity, Polk, Klipsch, Energy & Def Tech before deciding. I chose not to listen to B&W last night...didn't want to tempt myself.

[Previous related post:http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22913]

(By the way, my wife pulled up Audioholics.com from our browser history. She said "The first step is admitting you have a problem." OK, I admit it.)

You got a pretty decent set up, you'll enjoy it for awhile. You got almost what I bought for my first system years ago, except I bought 2 pairs of Atoms. One thing I noticed after awhile was that my PDR-10 couldn't keep up with the rest of the system. My first upgrade was changing out the sub to a PS-1000 and then 18 months later upgrading up to the PW-2200. But I may have been a little to critical with the quantity and quality of my bass. But as far as sound quality for the Atoms and Titans, they are great little speakers without breaking the bank.

 

[dobyblue]

Sweet choice.
I'll have the System 8 after buying the surrounds and the sub. I already have the Monitor 11 v4 and CC-370 v4. To my ears they sound incredible.
I'm going to get the Servo-15 v2 though instead of the PW-2200. I think that should pretty much kill any upgrade bugs I may ever have in the bass department.

 

[cowboy2006]

Yeah, the Paradigms really rock. "The Incredibles" is really "incredible" in quality surround sound.

The one thing I really discovered is the more audible difference between low and high quality mp3s. I never noticed it quite to the degree that I do now.

Josh Groban's "You Raised Me Up" is a great song, but at 128 kbps it sounded awful. Travis Tritt's "Modern Day Bonnie & Clyde was ripped at 320 kbps and sounds unbelievable! Virtually no distortion at a loud volume when the loud bass kicks in 33 sec. into the song.

It's kind of idiotic to invest the money in a nice system and then play a low quality mp3 through it.

 

[j_garcia]

That's the double edged sword With better gear your good stuff sounds better and your not so good stuff sounds worse...

 

[dobyblue]

I'm not a big fan of mp3 at any bitrate, but you're right there is a very noticeable difference between a 320 track ripped from CD and a 128 track ripped from CD.
The odd time I make a disc with mp3s on it for my car (like this weekend's trip to Montreal for the F1 race) I rip all my tracks into 320.
I should buy an IPOD soon, they have software now that allows for gapless shn, flac and ape files. Half the size of a wave file with no loss of quality. Maybe someday a car deck will incorporate these files which are in such widespread use in the trading communities of bands and artists that support taping of their shows.
I won't play mp3s on my main system at home, it's gotta be minimum CD but most often I play the advanced rez discs, even though my CDs outnumber them 500 to 30.
They do see pretty frequent use on my PC though.

 

[j_garcia]

There are already "flash" type in-dash players. I believe it was a Sony that I saw that you take the removable face in, connect it to the PC and drop songs onto it. Limited capacity was the only thing I saw as a limitation for that.