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Paradigm Persona series

I'm beginning to poke around and gather opinions and information about a "super speaker" to replace my aging Thiel 2.4s.  I like the idea of bass dsp room correction and I am a bit of a point source type imaging nut (thus the Thiels).  So among other choices I've been looking at the Paradigm Persona series specifically the powered 9H with room correction for the bass.  However I'm skeptical of the "lenses" i.e. pierced metal covers on the midrange and tweeter specifically because of Paradigm's claim that such screens "screen out" "out of phase" musical information.  The technology in the design seems superlative but I just can't get past the claim re out of phase information and the midrange and tweeter covers.  What could possibly be the science behind this claim?  It just seems like its putting a halloween moustache on the mona lisa given the fact that the company is generally a technology driven company.
pwhinson
ctsooner's avatar
ctsooner
2,480 posts
 
Santa, that's my point.  We all like different things in a speaker. Some overlook hot and or bright thinking they are highly detailed and if they 'stage' great or have another positive thing, they love them...until they grow tired and get the next most talked about speaker (or amp or DAC).  

Bottom line is that it's all good.  I always caution friends who are getting into higher end audio, to beware.  Dealers know what tracks they can play on a system to make it sound 'best'. They will always stay away from tracks that won't sound good due to the compromises that said designers have to make.  Kind of like going to the store to buy a new top end TV, but they are all turned to their brightest setting where they will look their best for a half hour or so.  Good luck watching at that setting all day long, lol......  
contuzzi
413 posts
 
Unfortunately that makes zero sense. The brightest tv at Best Buy only looks good if you’re ignorant and know very little about picture quality.

Dealers likely play “only good music” or only their music because I’m sure many customers come in with some hot garbage that would sound bad on any speaker. I don’t know of any dealer that wants to “trick” the customer, but when someone goes into a store and says “hey do you have this *insert artist here* album?” The dealer may play some garbage remaster on Tidal which sounds like trash compared to the CD master the guy has at home. That’s the kind of stuff I’d think they’re worried about, if they really are trying to exclusively play their stuff.
yyzsantabarbara
4,941 posts
 
In my most recent speaker auditions the dealers were encouraging me to play anything from TIDAL. They were rather happy to hear me say, wow that recording sounds real bad or that recording sounded great. This was on the speakers I had come to audition, the Magico A3 and Persona 5F. Point is these guys were rather cool about demoing the speakers.

One example was the Clash "From Here to Eternity: Live" disc. I had been playing it on my car while driving to the demo and I rather enjoyed it (I love this disc in the car). When I played it on the Magico A3 it sounded awful. The dealer was rather happy to see that I could hear the bad sound via the speakers he was trying to sell me.

Bad sound because the recording was bad.

jetter
3,052 posts
 
contuzzi, it really sounds like you have all of us and dealers figured out.  Why are you hanging out with us, after all...…"It’s amazing how much “audiophiles” are psychologically influenced and don’t even realize it." and..."The brightest tv at Best Buy only looks good if you’re ignorant and know very little about picture quality."   Are you here to save us from ourselves, if that's it we kind of feel we are already doing ok and don't need saving so you can feel free to go post on the next audio board knowing we are ok now.
ricred1
2,058 posts
 
It's so funny to read comments from people who regularly trash other components, get so upset that some don't prefer Paradigm Personas. There are no absolutes in audio, only preferences!  
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