Stetz - find out what else your dealer carries. If you're goingt o try out the speakers at home which is all very nice and good - if you don't have anything to compare it against then what is the point.

People have constantly attacked my OPINION of CERTAIN Paradigms. They say I make attacks on them. It's simply not the case. I don't like a lot of speakers - this forum has a lot of discussion on Paradigm because they're an easily attainable speaker...I'd have even more nasty comments for Castle, Cabasse, Hales, certain B&W's, Wharfedales, JBLs, Klipsches, and negative comments about aspects of Martin Logans.

I recognise that this is a $200.00 speaker and you can't expect the world. However there are $200.00 speakers I'd be happy to have over $800.00 speakers.

People do like the Titans - I don't. That is not an attack on people...Skeptic thinks any speaker that is not full range is crap...so thus any speaker under about 30k in today's dollars is in serious trouble of basically being called crap. Doesn't bother me that he would not like My speakers...if I listened to a lot of pedal organ I would have went another route myself. Of course i can add a sub later I suppose if I ever have the desire for such music.


The best advice is ALWAYS listen to the stuff yourself. Simply conveying that advertisisng has a certain SWAY factor built in. All products get great reviews so if you're thinking of speaker X and you do some research you'll find a great review of it to support you or to push you into buying that speaker. However most get their heart set on 1 or 2 before they even listen...I did this myself when I entered the hobby and sure enough I found great reviews in Stereophile, What Hi-fi and EVERY other magazine that did a review(This was of the Arcam Delta 290 integrated amp). I actually prefered the sound of a lesser known company called Sugden. But I felt the reviews were probably correct so I went with the Arcam.

As it turned out Stereophile never reviewed the Sugden A21a. All of this was in 1996-97 and the Sugden in that form was selling since 1989 and is still selling today.

Fastforward to a few issues ago and Sugden's A21a FINALLY gets a review in Stereophile(not a full out just an article). 14 years the amp has been selling and one of their reviewers finally listens. After talking to one of Stereophile's writers on another thread he admitted that this was easily the class leader. OOPs Does not help now does it? The magazine seems to suggest that what they review is the best products available but yet they missed the BEST integrated amp under $2k...it's not like it hasn't been around. The Brit mags had touted the unit for a decade...still do. http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_read.asp?ID=857

What does any of this have to do with the Titan? A lot. Most every product on this forum will have an average above four with the possible exception of Bose...assuming there is a a good 30-40+ sample size. Lots of people like the Titan a great deal and I'm not saying they're WRONG...it's a preferance.

Tom Nousaine found that a few of his friends in a blind test liked the speaker best out of several competitors. I tout Hi-Fi CHoice because they do blind panel listening even with manufacturers ON the panel who don't even choose their own speakers as best. It still doesn't mean YOU or I will agree with their assessments.

I take the attitude that people's money or budget is important to them. Perhaps because I have gone back to school I realize that to many people $200.00 is like $2000. I dislike the notion that well it's only $200.00 so who really cares if it's any good - they're all pretty much the same. If I buiy a $200.00 coat I want to make damn sure I like the colour and fit.

Now I suggested used speakers and your money will go a LOT farther with $200.00 on the used market. But, alas it's a risk some are not willing to take. I respect that choice as well.

Speakers that fall into your budget all of which I like(it's a preference) better than the Titan and some are less money and also have piles of rave reviews(remember they all do which is why ost are useless) are the following:

Wharfedale Diamond 8.1 and 8.2 http://www.wharfedale.co.uk/diamond8.htm

Mission M70 series (Been discontinued but still around...the 78 series is very good as well but might be priced slghtly above the Titan. http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_read.asp?ID=2095 http://www.mission.co.uk/

Linn...you pick

Acoustic Energy Aegis 1...not around but people say the replacement is better is so I would take this in a millisecond. http://www.acoustic-energy.co.uk/

Energy C1 - possibly the C3...

B&W...You pick http://www.bwspeakers.com/

Boston Acoustics C or the little strange looking VRM series - not sure on pricing but both will be around the same or less. http://www.bostonacoustics.com/hs_pr...p?CategoryID=4

Tannoy MX2. I'm not usually a fan of Tannoy and I'm 95% sure this is the model I heard...looked like this anyway...regardless I would check it out http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_read.asp?ID=773

Others that I'm not sure of US pricing for but all sound - again in my opinion better -
Kef Q1, Monitor Audio B2, and Mordaunt Short has a new line in the store here competing with the Paradigm Montor series which and the Mordaunt's were IMO a much more impressive top to bottom with the box resonances and disconnected presentation.

Point is YOU have to listen to at least a few speakers in the same room with the same gear. Against nothing the Titan is something.

Make sure you listen for several hours and pay attention to the treble response and try if you can violin and acoustic instruments along with feamle vocals. You may like the Titan like some of those 179 - or you may hate them like some of those 179 and me.

Athena is sold in BB which is a bad sign. The reviews can say whatever they wish...but if I truly cared about my product I owuld not be selling it in junk stores with idiotic salespeaople in bad rooms - they're there JUST to sell a as many boxes and make the gig bucks as fast as they possibly can. Doesn't mean they're a bad speaker - the ones I heard were awful - and that may be the room(Or lack of one) and the equipment...but then the company had the choice to sell through those stores...why should I give them the benefit of the doubt and HOPE they sound ok in my home. Reviews are good, but oh yeah...everything gets a good review...except in Hi-Fi Choice and UHF and What-Hi Fi and Hi Fi News. I personally look at what these magazines don't get for review as well - not saying you should just saying that's what I do.

Good luck and listen to as much stuff as you possibly can as long as you can before deciding. Heck if you listen to a ton you are less likely to have any kind of buyer's regret that oh I should have tried X brand first becasue I much prefer my neighbor's X over my Y.