Paradigm Persona series

>>What is YOUR agenda?<<

To use the forums as an advertising tool.
Havent you read his posting history?

Prof setup is key and that obviously includes the room.

Again in the example sited above, the same room and listening postion, different equipment and cabling and the Persona speakers sounded exceptional or just okay dependong on the gear setup the room and listening position didn't change only the gear, and that was the critical take away, the room does make a difference the equipment is as important if not more so.

We are not saying that the room doens’t make a difference it does, but without the right gear the speakers will not sound good no matter what..

System one: Classe Cap 2100 Blue Sound Node crappy Monster cables original Dali Helicons sounded great, Personas better in some way not better in others.

1: Add Dac and real cabling big improvment in clarity, soundstaging.

2: Replaced crappy speaker cables with better cabling and again huge improvement.

3: Still similar outcomes the Personas didn’t sound way better than just different.

4: Switched out electronics and boom magic on the Personas.

Yes fortunately or unfortunately expensive cabling, dacs, electronics make a huge difference and can make or break a particular set of loudspeakers, and in this demo the room was the same in ordinary Living Room, no treatments etc,

Rivondale, just switching out one variable can mean that your amplifier might not sound good with a particular set of loudspeakers.

We had a client come into the shop with a Belles Aria which makes a great match with Vandy’s plays the same amp on the Kef’s and the Unision Research Primo blew it away in most areas.

It is all about synergy, when demoing just one product you must be aware that sometimes if you like certain aspects of a systems sound you may need to change your electronics, cabling, or source components until you create the right balance.

Prof1 high end audio is more like high end cooking it is finding ingredients which work to balance out each other.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ

It seems like speaker cables must have some effect.  It has been difficult for me to find a dealer where you can hear various cables to determine if there is a difference.  I am a beginner and need to learn more.

I listened to a lot of speakers before I purchased my Paradigm Prestige 85F towers.  Many sounded too bight like the Martin Logan Motion 60's and I couldn't understand why the Bowers & Wilkins dealer was so in love with them.  I thought the CM 10 and 804's lacked bass.  I just wish I had held off and not purchased my Paradigm's.  The mid's act as both a mid bass and a mid voice speaker and I think a 2 1/2 design is asking this speaker to do too much.  They sound to harsh when listening to vocals.  Now it is difficult to convince the wife I want to get rid of them and purchase the SALK Song3 Encore's.  Those are just incredible in that $6,000 price point.  He uses expensive drivers and his 4 inch mid driver really is fast and very musical.  Vocals really sound incredible and so does the bass.

I am surprised no one mentions ARCAM.  I compared the ARCAM AVR85 against an MacIntosh and the ARCAM just knocked its sock off.  Incredible detail.

As a beginner there is so much to learn and as a result I really appreciate learning from everyone here.

@larry5729

It has been difficult for me to find a dealer where you can hear various cables to determine if there is a difference. I am a beginner and need to learn more.

The best way to audition cables is within your own system.

A knowledgeable and experienced dealer can be very helpful in advising you on matching and achieving personal and system outcomes; but, I advise against direct auditioning of cables at the dealer.

@david_ten - you are absolutely correct on this. Most dealers have a fairly substantial collection of demo cables. I just went through that process this weekend, auditioning 4 levels of a certain brand.

It’s the only way to know for sure. Notably, the most expensive cable may not necessarily play well with one's own personal rig.