Paradigm Persona series

@contuzzi Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate the time. I also went back and looked at some of your old Persona post, very helpful.

I heard the Persona 5F with a SimAudio 860A and it was great.


@mtrot Go to the Paradigm web site and register your trade in speakers. They will send you a coupon by email. You take that to your dealer with your trade in speakers. The dealer can discount the speakers beyond the 20% from Paradigm. The trade-in speakers must be in working order and in decent shape. I know they except the KEF LS50 (maybe $800 used). Get one of those and trade in for a Persona 9H with 20% off.

BTW - my dealer informed me on this program

Guys Persona dealer, let me explain the program, first it is not a mandatory program the dealer may or may not want to offer this program.

Two the dealer will not go above the 20% as the dealer is not getting 20% off from Paradigm, we actually make less money with these programs the deal does work to bring in new clients which helps offset the program.

We have very different opinions on the Anthem STR integrated vs Contuzzi, we have the STR integrated and the STR amp and preamp in the same room. 

The STR intergrated is very good, but it is not as warm and full bodied as the separates which totally outperform the integrated amplifier. 

In our tests the Anthem STR is outclassed by the Micromega and the Naim gear, if you like  a clean punchy sound without a lot of additional midrange warmth the STR is your amplifier if you prefer more warmth and body then the other pieces are better. The STR is fantastic value and we are not talking about the effects of room correction which may push the STR integrated into a different catagory just sound of one vs another under identical conditions.

We will agree that the Anthem STR amp and Preamp are a fantatic value.

We will be testing the STR power amp vs the Coda and the Krell more extensively in the weeks ahead. 

Our initial impressions are the Krell power amplifier is more magical but less powerful same with the Coda, the Anthem power amplifier is a little flat sounding, but excells in terms of punch and it is quite smooth.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Krell, Anthem, Coda and Paradigm Dealers

Would the 9f be too much for my small room, 12x15? It's weird how bigger speakers work better in my room because of directional horns or other design quirks but a more traditional speaker with narrow design actually needs MORE space.

@ yyzsantabarbara

Well, I am not going to buy a set of speakers just to be able to use this offer. My speakers are in excellent condition, but certainly not of the value of the Kef LS50s. I think the original MSRP on them was $800/pair, but they are obviously not worth that now.

From the Paradigm Trade Up promotion page:
"Remember, ANY pair of speakers will get you at least 20% OFF your new Paradigm speakers, even ones that you've loved too much and are damaged."

@audiotroy Thanks for the feedback. One of your recent customers, who bought a CODA #8 from you, messaged me that you would be doing such Anthem STR preamp testing in the coming weeks. Hopefully you can post the results without causing mass hysteria. Whatever, the case I will give you a call and we can discuss the amp I would want to get.

As an FYI, the only reason I went to audition the Persona is due to the great feedback Audiotroy has been giving on this line. A ton of negative posts on here about the Persona but I decided to take the time to audition it (a real PIA for me) because a lot of stuff I read on here by Audiotroy makes sense to me. Actually, when most dealers post I make a point of reading their posts because they have great info, even if it is biased towards their products.

I was all set to buy the Magico A3 but after I heard the Persona 5F I knew that the Magico A3 was no longer my favorite (but close). It was the tweeter and mid range that won me over. The Persona demo I had was actually off to a very bad start and I had to give the local dealer feedback on a better setup configuration to make the Person 5F sound better. It was only after those changes did I realize that I liked the Persona over the Magico. So from my efforts, learned by my A’gon research, my local dealer gets a nice sale of the Persona 3F and Anthem STR preamp.

I should add that I was trying a different combo at my local dealership than they used with the Persona’s. So it was not their fault that it sounded aweful at first.