Paradigm Signature S4: Any info please

I heard it at my local dealer while they were demoing it to decided if they wanted to include the signature line in their inventory. I am a huge fan of paradigm speakers and have owned multiple pairs. I thought the signature line sucked. They were way too bright, had no bottom end, and didn't image the way I'm used to Paradigm speakers imaging. They were powered by my own Musical Fidelity A308 integrated and also the brand new classe amp and pre amp. (About 7500 dollars worth of equipment) With both sets of electronics, it sounded bad. It sounded better with the classe, but still not good. I know that both electronics and speakers were broken in. I had great hope for this line and was interested in trying it out until I heard these. Quite a let down.

And I had the exact opposite experience & opinion. I went listening Paradigm Studios & even some B&Ws - had absolutely no expectation to see much less hear Signatures, and very bluntly I thought they were all hype and a grab at the upper-scale $$$ market. Spent easily an hour going through parts of some reference CDs, then the sales dude led me downstairs to their basement audition room with SIGs, B&Ws, etc. Heard little Signature 2s powered by McIntosh electronics - and was stunned by the soundstage, presence, whatever you want to call it. I did not find them too bright or tricked out - they were simply exceptional. They did not have 4's at that time (and I really can't explain away the $$$ for 8's) so I wound up leaving with the 2's as a new entry on the short list of wants (but no, not on order).

I did get back to the place when they had 4's out and hooked up, but there must have been a busload of tourists that heard about them 'cause the downstairs room (the one that I've decided is just 12 steps closer to Hell ;~) was packed and not too condusive to a decent audition (and certainly no 2-vs-4-vs-8's comparison was going to get done that day).

Ah, well - we're all different, and I probably have beans in my ears or else some degree of hearing loss, 'cause even w/ the whole busload crammed into that room the 4's sounded darned decent to me. YMMV...

i spemt a couple of months auditioning different speakers in the mid price level-$1500-3000/pr. i listened to kef's, definitive tech, b&w 700 and 800 series polk audio and infinity.i was leaning toward the def tech or b&w 800 series but found a dealer that carried paradigm. i listened to their studio series and thought they were comparible to b&w 700's and much less $$. then i made the mistake of auditioning the paradigm signature series s-8's.they were simply the best speakers i had ever heard. they didn't have any s4's in to audtion until a month later, so i went back and auditioned s4's with sub crossover at 40 hz vs the s8's with and without sub. i couldn't hear a difference. the paradigm signatures are to my ears the best speakers i have ever heard. so good that i figured out a way to talk myself into beleiving i could afford them.i bought 4 s4's (front and rear) signature c3 center and signature adp surrounds. it cost about $8500 for the complete setup, but i couldn't be happier. music and movies sound great.
speakers are very subjective so you should listen to as many different brands in your price range as possible, but i do recommend listening to the paradigms. i found the signatures to be irresistable.

I have to agree with "tngjsv" ... I had a friend purchase an entire home theater setup with the Paradigm Studio V3's. For the money I was amazed at the V3’s and gave him my thumbs up. I was looking at upgrading from my Klipsch La Scala’s to something smaller and a little smoother. I went and listened to the B&W Nat 804’s and then JM Lab’s Cobalt and Electra series, Proac and Thiel 2.4’s. I was ready to BUY the 804’s when I thought I would look at a few other pairs … man, am I glad I did. Just for fun I thought I would head back and compare what I had heard to the Paradigm’s. I brought my own music each time and had them set each speaker system up with and without a sub. I tried for an “apples to apples” comparison as much as possible. I listened to the Paradigm Studio 40’s and was amazed at how good they sounded in comparison to the much more expensive speaker systems. THEN I HEARD THE SIGNATURE S4’s … It was pure love! Everything was better. With the seismic sub hooked in it was quite possibly the best I have ever heard. I was a diehard Klipsch fan but these little speakers changed my mind. Jazz, Blues, Classical and Rock … all forms of music I played seemed more detailed and much clearer. I moved the speakers around looking for bad placement or dropouts – they sounded great. The price was in line with what I have been looking at but I was hoping to find a demo set or a slightly used set. NOTHING …. It’s been three months and I have sold off all my other equipment. I’m not a person who buys new very often – I have had NO problems buying used equipment and I have bought and sold a TON over the years with great luck. I think this will be my first NEW purchase in a decade and I am going full 5.1. I will set the s4’s in the front, S2’s in the rear and go with the C3 center. The sub will have to be a seismic … I just cant quite fork out for the signature sub and the 12” seismic is more than enough.

In short … BUY THE S4’s …. If you’re worried about the cost vs. appeal take the chance – you wont be disappointed. As a testament check ALL the used sites. No one is unloading these speakers. You usually see a few pairs than where bought and NOT liked but I have had my eye out for three months and nothing. Read the reviews - there are a ton of them ... all are very positive.

If you don’t like them post the on Audiogon and I’ll buy them! If I can find them in the midst of all the dozens of pairs of B&W 804's that now litter the sites. What a disappointment they turned out to be ...

Horseface , let me see if I understand . The B&W 804s have turned out to be a disappointment -"...dozens of pairs ... that now litter the sites ". However , you had been ready to buy the 804s after listening to JMLabs , Proacs and Thiels but before you listened to Paradigm 40s . Am I missing something ?