Paradigm 60 vs. Quad 21L

Good point Buddy, but so far the dealers here only seem to carry the electrostatics. Even a web search turns up mostly British sites. Maybe Melbourne isn't such a backwater afterall!

I appreciate the feedback though, they do sound like they're worth a listen.

Happy New Year

I'm not a huge fan of the Paradigm sound. Next to the Quad it sounds very ordinary.

I bought the 22L for use in both 2 and 5 channel, and 4 months later couldn't be happier with my choice. The sound is sublime for MANY different genres of music, and they are finished absolutely superbly.

If I can find a pair to listen to my little backwater of Melbourne Australia, surely you can source a pair in NYC - the shopping capital of the world!

Respect

Thanks Nathan, I checked out Singer but they only have the Quad ESLs on hand. I'll probably wind up going with the Paradigms as I seem to be surrounded by dealers carrying them vs the Quads.

From Quad's Website these are the listings for NY City only 2 other dealers in the state.
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Park Avenue Audio, 425 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016, Phone : 212-685-8101

Sound by Singer, 18 East 16th Street, New York, NY 10003, Phone : 212-924-8600
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On to the Quad 21Ls, which I proudly own.

I did not like the sound of the Paradigm Ref 20s at all but now that I have learned more, it was a poorly setup environment/equipment coupled with unknowledgable staff that contributed primarily to my negative experience in examinign the Paradigms. Could they be better than what I encountered? Absolutely, but they would have to be radically better than my audition to make me regret purchasing my Quads.

I found (in my audition) the Paradigms to be closed in, lacking detail, had some decent bass though, but it came accross as muddy especially in the midrange. Details in familiar songs which I was specifically listening for (such as the bass guitar in Mother's Little Helper which on the limited equipment I have encountered is either: hidden, barely audible, or clear as can be) I could barely hear this specific detail on the Paradigms. The equipment they were hooked up to me was a Marantz High end receiver and a Denon 5 CD Changer, Kimber/Monster dealer so unsure of interconnects.

Quad 12Ls I heard (and bought I bought the 21Ls due to same sonic/tonal qualities as the 12Ls but extended bass response) were hooked up to a Lexicon setup (MC12 & CX 5 Amp I think with a Faroujda Video Processor as transport -- previously at the same dealer I had heard them on a Classe setup)

Obviously the equipment was superior to that I what I heard the Paradigms on. But when I took it home and hooked it up to my then lowly Pioneer Receiver (I now have a NAD C350 Integrated instead), the magic of these speakers did not disappear they were still remarkably clean, incredibly detailed, and so fast in responding. It did not matter what music I threw & throw at it - I enjoy it all.

I have a much more detailed writeup under my virtual system thread - also feel free to e-mail me if you have a specific question.

I feel that you owe the Quad's an audition, there's also been more threads about the speaker on the AudioAsylum than here so that may be a good place to look for info as well.

Nathan Klassen