Paradigm Studio 20V3 Review & DeVore Fidelity.

I just purchased a new pair of Paradigm Studio 20V'3's and would like to voice my impressions.I will be comparing them to my Snell K111's which i still own.i always really liked the Paradigm sound so i was interested in getting another pair after selling my Paradigm compact monitors some years ago. i have listened to my new studio 20v3's for about 8 hours now and am not overly impressed.They are somewhat laid back and lacking in dynamics.There seems to be some discontinuity between the strong bass and the midrange.they don't seem to handle dynamic shifts in music well at all.Paradigm seems to have moved the entire musical presentation back in the mix...say rear of auditorium compared to up front.It seems you have to crank up the volume to hear all the music.what is really weird is nearfield listening is really good..but these speakers are not made for that.Compared to my Snell's they are quite less dynamic and off axis is not as good.the Paradigm's produce human voice better...more emotion...but voices are deep in the stage resulting in having to crank the volume or sit closer.I think Paradigm may be trying to move closer to that deep in soundsatge audiophile presentation but forgot you have to get the music out of the box.the best thing they do i believe is produce good strong bass notes giving most rock music a strong foundation.they image well but in comparison to my Snell's my Snell's present a much larger soundstage in width and height.i purchased mine from an authorized dealer who also sell's loudspeaker's from a company called DeVore Fidelity.he insisted that i listen to a floorstanding pair...the Gibbon 8 model.All i can say is that it may be the finest loudspeaker i have ever heard.the soundstage and imaging were incredible.A warm..tonally correct image with incredible instrument placement.the speakers were about 10 to 12 feet apart and were powered by a tube amplifier.all i can say is WOW...what a phoenominal sounding loudspeaker.I may see if i can trade up my Paradigm's on the matching DeVore bookshelf model.My dealer expalined to me that DeVore Fidleity is a newer company based out of Brooklyn,N.Y.the founder John DeVore is a drummer by trade and uses a crossover in his speakers called the Gibbon.don't know what the Gibbon is but it really works.If you get a chance demo these DeVore speakers...they are incredible.

I guess Brooklyn, USA is going to be the next audio design hotspot ( Lamm is out there and I have a pair of Ohm Microwalshes...).

Vocals on the Ohms are also sometimes a little "back" but generally the overall mix sounds pretty believable - huge soundstage. Paradigm can't touch 'em. I'll check out the Devores, they sound interesting.

I guess my question would be did you actually listen to the Studios before you bought them? And if you like your Snells, then why buy a set of speakers that sounds so obviously different? I'm sure RGA's going to chime in with yet another Audio Note rant anytime now (and it'll actually be on topic this time because the ANs are supposedly based on vintage Snell designs). You should compare notes with him, since your impressions are similar to his.

My impressions of the 20 v.3s couldn't more opposite than yours. I found those speakers to be very dynamic with a wide range of material, and the overall tonal balance top to bottom was excellent. I did not notice any kind of discontinuity between one part of the frequency range and another. Those speakers also rendered acoustic instruments very realistically, and the imaging was about as pinpoint accurate as I've heard at this price point from a conventional box speaker. With my most demanding test disc (which was recorded direct to two-track), the Studio 20 v.3 produced one of the most startlingly realistic and engaging presentations of the music that I've heard, and I've been using that disc in my speaker listenings for about 14 years now. I find it very surprising that you make note of the bass pop on the v.3s because the more linear bass response is actually the biggest change between the v.2 and v.3 models (I own a set of the v.2s). Maybe you would have liked the v.2 Studio series better, because the v.3 series is a notably more refined speaker all the way around.

I have to agree with Wooch. 'Non-dynamic' is the LAST thing that should come to mind with the Studio 20's. I found them to be incredibly dynamic, which is what I look for in a speaker. They were chillingly dynamic and realistic, I literally got chills when I heard the 20's for the first time. In fact the only speaker I felt was better was the Active 40's...which I took home :)

The more I read that post the more it sounds like an ad. How can someone be so knowlegable about speakers, but not know what a crossover does? The guy probably takes out the trash for DeVore.

And, if the DeVore's sounded so much better, why did he buy the Paradigms instead of the DeVores?

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Originally Posted by jwh917

I just purchased a new pair of Paradigm Studio 20V'3's and would like to voice my impressions.I will be comparing them to my Snell K111's which i still own.i always really liked the Paradigm sound so i was interested in getting another pair after selling my Paradigm compact monitors some years ago. i have listened to my new studio 20v3's for about 8 hours now and am not overly impressed.They are somewhat laid back and lacking in dynamics.There seems to be some discontinuity between the strong bass and the midrange.they don't seem to handle dynamic shifts in music well at all.Paradigm seems to have moved the entire musical presentation back in the mix...say rear of auditorium compared to up front.It seems you have to crank up the volume to hear all the music.what is really weird is nearfield listening is really good..but these speakers are not made for that.Compared to my Snell's they are quite less dynamic and off axis is not as good.the Paradigm's produce human voice better...more emotion...but voices are deep in the stage resulting in having to crank the volume or sit closer.I think Paradigm may be trying to move closer to that deep in soundsatge audiophile presentation but forgot you have to get the music out of the box.the best thing they do i believe is produce good strong bass notes giving most rock music a strong foundation.they image well but in comparison to my Snell's my Snell's present a much larger soundstage in width and height.i purchased mine from an authorized dealer who also sell's loudspeaker's from a company called DeVore Fidelity.he insisted that i listen to a floorstanding pair...the Gibbon 8 model.All i can say is that it may be the finest loudspeaker i have ever heard.the soundstage and imaging were incredible.A warm..tonally correct image with incredible instrument placement.the speakers were about 10 to 12 feet apart and were powered by a tube amplifier.all i can say is WOW...what a phoenominal sounding loudspeaker.I may see if i can trade up my Paradigm's on the matching DeVore bookshelf model.My dealer expalined to me that DeVore Fidleity is a newer company based out of Brooklyn,N.Y.the founder John DeVore is a drummer by trade and uses a crossover in his speakers called the Gibbon.don't know what the Gibbon is but it really works.If you get a chance demo these DeVore speakers...they are incredible.

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This really sounds more like a shill than a review. I don't know what the "gibbon" is either, but I'd have a hard time spending money on a speaker named after a monkey, even if does have a fantastic crossover.

Just my .02 cents. My experience with Paradigms is that you need and amp/receiver that can handle high impedance loads. Otherwise the Paradigms will sound just ordinary. So before you dish them, please try another amp.:)

First don't let people get on you about your selection - you're not the only one who thinks there are better speakers in existance than what Paradigm makes. Your dealer is carrying this no-name company(and I only say thta because i have never heard of them) for a reason and it isn't to get quick sales. Names help get quick sales - the rest need some convincing and that recquires listening - which you did.

So now you'll be called a shill because you liked a speaker other than Paradigm - hey I was so perhaps you'll feel better you ain't alone. And it will usually be from people who have not done side by side comparisons. It is critical to do side by side as much as possible because you have expectations of sound because you are used to a certain something and if you don't get it then you assume the new one is LACKING when it may in fact be that the one you're used to has been ADDING its own signature all along to make it sound more impressive. Macrodynamics or attack is one area where sometimes what is NOT there is actually being more truthful than what is. And this can sometimes become clearer with longer auditions over a wide array of music - if Rock is the main thing you listen to then this may not apply as much perhaps(I say perhaps because i'm merely guessing that some might prefer a healthy "Stamp" on the genre in the same way Quad ESL's "Stamp" a signature and people love them for classical music. The following review has nothing to do with speakers - but does note a person wrestling with his love for his favorite Sources due to their stamped signature sounds versus one that has none. Perhaps what you like about the DeVore applies - or perhaps you like one stamp over the other - no crime in that. The Paradigms while I would go another route are well built and have their following of devotees just as any brand will. I'll be looking out for those speakers - prehaps they will take off - you gotta start someplace. http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue8/audionote.htm

and you can throw a blanket over most speakers reviewed here.....to go from 1,500 to 10,000 doesnt make much sense since a few sober minutes with tone controls can make most speakers sound similar enough that removal of ear wax would make a larger difference....

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Originally Posted by Debbi

and you can throw a blanket over most speakers reviewed here.....to go from 1,500 to 10,000 doesnt make much sense since a few sober minutes with tone controls can make most speakers sound similar enough that removal of ear wax would make a larger difference....

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That's what I was having, and I wound up having to moderate my own post!

I know what a crossover is,and what it does.I'm very sorry to offend your Paradigm speaker.I owned a pair for 5 years in the 90's and they were fabulous.My initial review may have been a little too critical...i have some more hours on them and they sound better.I did audition them and they sounded good...but i'm trying to compare them to my old Paradigm compact monitor's..which is probably a mistake.So what if i purchased them...they are an easy sell.I've purchased many a speaker(Mirage,AR,NHT,Snell,Wharfield,Paradigm,Sig net) and sold them all for a very good price.I didn't buy the DeVore's because the book shelf model was $1200.00...and that's a demo price off the msrp of $1800.00.I didn't feel like spending that kind of money.As far as the crossover goes...my dealer told me that was DeVore"s secret to thier sound.All i meant was i don't know if it's a first thru fourth,Linkwitz,Butterworth,or whatever kind of filter.

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