Paradigm Signature S4: Any info please

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 ?

Does this site allow promotion of brands disguised as a layman's "search and listening"of various brands and posting his recommendation in direct contradiction to other posts ?

I refer to the 10-3-04 post by "Horseface" and his 9-7-04 post (see under his Answers). A direct contradiction of when he listened to Paradigm 40s - before or after listening to B&W 804s.

Isn't it obvious what the intent is? Do dealers need to hide their identity as such ?

So, I'm a dealer? How many sales to I have on AG? Check ...

I picked the B&W 804's originally because of the many positive reviews that I had read, and the fact that there were bargains to be had on-line. I wanted (and still want) a good deal on a great speaker ($2000-$4000). I listened to the 804's FIRST before anything else and didn’t like them at all. I would have stayed with the LaScala's if the B&W's were my only option.

I cant honestly see why anyone with ears would pay $4000 for a pair of 804's Everything I read about the detail in the midrange was WRONG... they had a shrill tweeter and the mid's sounded muffled. Frankly ... I hated them.

Still confused?