Ok Here We Go:Definitve technology Bp7002, Mirage OM-7, or Paradigm studio 100 v3

[meephis]

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to ask you guys to tell me whats better (I know thats impossible), I just want to know if any of you had any experience with them and what your impressions are.

[markw]

As for those speakers, my personap preference of the afornemtioned three is "none of the above".

For one who can hear "night and day" differences in cables I would think choosing between three distinctly different speakers would be a cinch. ..or is this decision being done by a vote?

FWIW, each is a solid performers in their own right, cach is put out by reputable companies and each have their fans and detractors. Which flavor do YOU like?

Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer choice.

[RGA]

Well I have not heard the DefTechs but between the other two - I would personally start a new list. The Paradigm V2 is better IMO and the Mirage looks better on paper and nifty design than it actually sounds in real life. Then again, you are not me because you obviously liked them enough to put them on your finalists list.

Really, you don't need any of us telling you squat about which sounds best to you - all we can do is talk about our subjective experience with them and what we would do. For the Price of the Paradigm 100V3 you could buy the Energy C9 and (have close a near Cdn clone) $1500.00 left - you'd have the speaker's equal (give or take a smidge) and could donate the rest to charity or buy a really good turntable, more cd's a big screen TV, a laptop etc.

Or you could check out Dynaudio's Auience 82 Or PMC's transmission line speakers. With PMC's TB2 you could also probably swing the matching Bryston Power pack built in amp. The new TB2 has upgraded to a soft dome tweeter from the metal one they were using (which was just about the only annoying thing about the old version was the edgy top end).

[kexodusc]

Well I have not heard the DefTechs but between the other two - I would personally start a new list. The Paradigm V2 is better IMO and the Mirage looks better on paper and nifty design than it actually sounds in real life. Then again, you are not me because you obviously liked them enough to put them on your finalists list.

Really, you don't need any of us telling you squat about which sounds best to you - all we can do is talk about our subjective experience with them and what we would do. For the Price of the Paradigm 100V3 you could buy the Energy C9 and (have close a near Cdn clone) $1500.00 left - you'd have the speaker's equal (give or take a smidge) and could donate the rest to charity or buy a really good turntable, more cd's a big screen TV, a laptop etc.

Or you could check out Dynaudio's Auience 82 Or PMC's transmission line speakers. With PMC's TB2 you could also probably swing the matching Bryston Power pack built in amp. The new TB2 has upgraded to a soft dome tweeter from the metal one they were using (which was just about the only annoying thing about the old version was the edgy top end).

Bad advice on the C-9's...they sound worse than the Monitor 9's IMO, and look a bit goofier too. Though the new plastic plate on the front of the v4 Monitor 9's leaves something to be desired...

Great advice on the PMC TB2's...those would wipe the floor with the Studio 100's, IMO. I'll second that one!!!

[RGA]

Kex

Agreed that the C9's build quality is not nearly as good as the paradigms nor does it look as good - but the 100V3 sonically is to me pretty terrible for a speaker that in Canada after taxes will run $3,000.00+ I'm sorry but a hollow sounding nasal dynamically inept speaker with laid back top end that sounds out of place with the woofers can be had for a lot less money. Or for significanlty less money you can buy the better sounding quality and quantity - and what looks to be better build 100V2 for a heckuva lot less money than this overpriced model. The monitor series while i'm not a big fan of either - has a counterpart in the 9 and 11 that for about 1/3 the price would have me taking a step back. The studio series is not better enough IMO to justify paying double and a half the price for. Simply because if i'm going to pay double and half the monitor series then I would want good speakers - the Studio 100V3 is not IMO a good speaker for $2700+tax - it would be a good speaker for about $300.00Cdn more than the Monitor series).

[kexodusc]

RGA:
I can agree with that almost wholeheartedly. I've not heard the v2 side by side with the v3 to make a statement on which was better, but a $3000 Studio 100 (if that's what it sells for here) is steep compared to alot of other offerings. At 3.5 times what I paid for my Studio 20's last year here in Canada, there's something wrong.
I have this beef with most speakers that are sold as "series" or "lines". Some companies like Totem, Focus Audio, Audio Note, and even B&W to an extent, concentrate more on building the best speaker they can build at a certain price, regardless of shape or size, rather than a making a speaker "theme" across a price range offered in different sizes with differing levels of performance.
This "one design fits all" works sometimes, but only up to a certain point. The Studio 100, while better than some speakers it competes with I'm sure, is an example IMO. It wasn't hard for me to decide to go with the 40's and a sub instead of the 100's.
Just my opinion though.

[RGA]

Kex this is my biggest issue with both the new Paradigm and B&W 700.

Simply put both lines went up in price drastically - Now I don;t know about you buy when I go from one speaker to another and pay $500.00 MORE (which is the case for the 705 over the CDM 1NT and the 100V3 over the 100V2) I expect a pretty massivce improvement - it's no wonder there are people who say diminishing returns stops(or is strong) around $2K. To me when you pay more you should get an improvement EVERYWHERE in the sonics and build. The 100V2 was a better built product by appearance had more deeper bass and people can argue that the new one's bass sounds better even though there is less - but IMO that's a copout(and I personally don't agree) but even if I did - for the extra 25% more money I want the same bass depth of the 100

Improved bass sound or the same bass sound but deeper - in other words you either take the speaker and make it sound BETTER all actross the board with each up market model -alla Audio Note - OR and every bit as viable take the speaker make it sound pretty much the same but add bandwidth. Like a standmount versus floorstander you get the same sound but you add bass(few of course do it well because when they add bass many companies also add resonance(which is why the monitor 5 sounds better than the monitor 7) - probably because they keep using cheap cabinetry - not a complaint a constraint of the price point perhaps) but it CAN be done and IS done - the Dynaudio 82 loses nothing to the 52 for example but adds value by adding fuller range sound. Of course the 82's price is stratospheric compared to the Monitor 7.

My complaint is more about value than the actual sound. I believe you should get more when you pay more and it's dissapointing to me that these companies with deep pockets and impressive papers to advertise can produce such banal sounding speakers that smaller speaker makers murder em at 1/2 the price - it SHOULD be the other way around.