Paradigm Studio v.4 - Monitor v.5 - Signature v.2

[anamorphic96]

Here is some info on the Paradigm revisions. All lines seem to be getting a makeover. It looks as if the Atom will be part of the Monitor line if I read things correctly. I wonder if there going to dump the Performance line.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=724050

[N. Abstentia]

HOLY CRAP look at that center channel in the uhh...center. It's like a freakin' sideways Studio 100! Crikey!

[N. Abstentia]

I'll host some of these pics for those non-AVS subscribers. Thanks for the head up anamorphic!

Here's the new Atoms:

[audio_dude]

for some reason that just doesn't strike me as the atom, it looks....i have no idea where i'm going with this, but any word on whether they're changing the Mini-Monitors?

[minye]

Gosh. I can't adjust my taste that quick. Still feel my V3 looks better. They don't know simple is beautiful, do they?

[Lensman]

Quite a surprise indeed. My wife can't stand the look of my v.4 Mini Monitor's without the grills. She'd find these even worse. Personally, I kinda like them except for the beige woofer thing.

And, yes, the whole Monitor line's changing. That's the Monitor 9 behind the Atom. Here's another pic where you can see the new Mini Monitor in the bottom center.

[anamorphic96]

I actually kinda like the look of the beige woofers. I'm really interested to hear the new line up. This change seems to be more than a simple revision to the lines.

I still can't get over how big some of the center channels are though. The Atom being included in the Monitor line intriques me as well.

[noddin0ff]

You know, I bet since the Atom has such a good reputation for value/performance that it is placed to draw looky-loos into the monitor line when they might be thinking performance OR to get people, who walk into the shop to buy some Atoms based on what they've read, to think about and listen to the one version up upgrade...it's bait. Good bait, though.

[kexodusc]

Well, well, I just had a discussion with a dealer the other day who was wondering when the line-up would get an overhaul. He explained to me in the last 2 years he's had newer products that were better and cheaper steal many sales from the Paradigm line-up he's had butter his bread for 15 years or so...The old Atom was a legend killer when it arrived on the scene, but after what, 8-10 years, it's being out-done by a lot of competitors at that pricepoint. About time it got a huge makeover.

Hard to tell from the small pic, and hard to believe from my standpoint, but the Studio's have an amazing, uncanny resemblance to SEAS woofers, which would be a huge improvement. Those woofers are found in many other speakes costing 2-4 times the Studio line...of course it remains to be seen, Paradigm decided several years ago to make their own drivers exclusively for their speakers, so these might just be a flattering knock-off, but if they copied the sound and quality they've probably got a winner. I'm sure any reduction in cost benefits of outsourcing drivers would be offset by the much superior product. Drivers have come down in price immensely the last few years, and I can't imagine Paradigm having the resources to make them better and cheaper than Seas. Paradigm fans, and consumers in general, should hope I'm right. This would be a break-thru at this price point. Tyler Acoustics has a Studio 20 sized monitor speaker with Seas drivers starting at $1800, factory direct. $899, would be incredible.

Anyone else notice that the long-standing center channel tradition of mid-woofer-tweeter-mid-woofer, 2 -way is dying out - those MTM alignment center channels are not the best for horizontal placement in home theater. Paradigm finally appears to have accepted this. Good for them. Expect much better off axis performance and better dynamics in these new centers.

[wgriel]

So I wonder when these are going to appear in stores? I'm very curious to have a listen and a real-life look at them.

--
Bill

[Lensman]

If Paradigm uses the same timetable they did with the last version update, I'd expect them in about 6 weeks.

[Woochifer]

HOLY CRAP look at that center channel in the uhh...center. It's like a freakin' sideways Studio 100! Crikey!

Actually, it's not all that different from the current Signature C5, which is similarly huge. Looks like they moved up the Studio center speaker models to match the Signature series. Simple way to move a price point up.

Anyone else notice that the long-standing center channel tradition of mid-woofer-tweeter-mid-woofer, 2 -way is dying out - those MTM alignment center channels are not the best for horizontal placement in home theater. Paradigm finally appears to have accepted this. Good for them. Expect much better off axis performance and better dynamics in these new centers.

I'd heard that the CC-570 (the current Studio center model with the stacked tweeter/midrange driver alignment) produced a noticeably better timbre match than the CC-470, which used the same MTM D'Appolito alignment that Paradigm used with the previous Studio CC and CC-450 models. It would seem that Paradigm is going with the better performer as the standard model, but they are also moving up the price points significantly by eliminating the MTM model and moving the much larger center speaker alignment from the Signature series (the C5) into the Studio series.

[sethmckiness]

I think getting rid of the performance line is a great move. Other then the atoms and Titans, I didn't care for it a whole lot. I think this will do a lot to streamline Paradigms production, and also allow dealers to show the whole line that hits all the important 'price points' and offers good values at every one.. (the bigger performance series i think lacked in that department) I think the new atom will shine more then it did before with the better tweeter and what appears to be a slightly larger cabinet. of course it will cost 25% more then it did two years ago..

From someone in the industry this is a great move, (as long as all the speakers are as good if not better then the current monitor line up) and the other then minor tweaks the monitors series is ten years old. I think I mentioned something to one of the sales guys I work with about that... paradigm being overdue for a complete makeover of the monitor series.. I can't wait to hear them.. and if they sound as good as I think they will (fingers crossed that they don't use the same drivers as the focus) I will probably buy a pair of monitor 7's.

The only bad thing is the disappearance of the monitor 5.. the best sounding paradigm under 1000$