Paradigm Signature S4: Any info please


Hi All,

I am trying to get any info, input, opinions, comparisons etc. about the Paradigm Signature S4. It seems like a magnificent speaker but it is not available in my country yet and won't be for a while. I thus can't demo it. Anyone here it at dealers? Anyone owners? How do you compare it to others (such as large bookshelves or small floorstanders)? How is the bass extension?

Any input appreciated,
Cheers,
X
xenithon

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?
Personally, the Sig 4 were not my cup of tea and I knew it immediately. I was listening to them in comparsion to Linn Espek and JM Lab 927. I prefered the Linn's and JM Labs to the Paradigms.

In my opinion, the Paradigm's looked great & did well in individual areas, but failed to have a cohesive sound. It was hard to described, but it just didn't work for me. Of the three speakers mentioned, I found the JM Lab 927 to be the most enjoyeable. They were very dynamic with a great mid range. The Espeks were very nice & probably a great speaker if you want a more forgiving setup.

The best advice is to go hear them & trust your own ears. If you like them at the dealer, try to audition them at home. I also questioned something mentioned above ...it bothers me that someone indicates he is going out listening to various speakers & later states about great values on line. If you are using dealers to hear their products, ethically you should be buying from one of these dealers.
I agree with Macct assesment. They were wonderful at certain things, but were not as musical to my ears. They were wonderful at the things they did well like detail, neutrality etc.
I heard the S4 setup side by side with the 805 Signature and the Dali Helicon 300 all driven by classe gear, and I thought the S4 was in third place. It has nice clarity and separation, but soundstage was limited and just didnt move me.
I love the S2's and the S4's, hadn't had a chance to listen to the S8 yet. They are hands down the best (monitor) value for the money. They even beat out some floor standers I've listened to B&W 805's, MBL 121 compact, Thiel 1.6,and 2.4.
I think they have a best over all sound than all of the above.

They also need the right equipment. I've had the benifit of
trying different cables in my system(I own the S2) by renting them from usedcable.com. I's amazing how the wrong cable combination can affect the sound.

The best cable combination (for me)
Audio Qwest Granite speaker
Audio Qwest Jaguar(DBS)interconnect