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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
nabcs's avatar
nabcs
55 posts
 
Benzman is right...Persona 9H need at least 300h of burn in. When I received my Personas 9Hs the mids were a little congested and highs a little hot. But after 3 months the improvement was amazing!
I do not listen to classical music, but jazz and alternative indie rock, and now the sound is scary real ... the singers are in the room performing for me. I drive the 9Hs with a SET Amp (845 tubes...50 wats Class A), and maybe this amplifier adds the natural warmth the speakers need, I do not know.
benzman's avatar
benzman
421 posts
 
"No need for any kind of “tuning footers” or anything like that. If they’re sounding bright, you need to get them positioned properly and acoustically treat your room. Things like ISO acoustic Gaia’s are nice and all, it the higher end more inert speakers like Personas don’t benefit from them much if at all."

Sorry I was not talking about brightness. That was gone with break in and a cable change. I sure nobody is using the rubber feet that come with. The Combak Harmonix 909 tuning footers takes these speakers to a new level in my system. I am on a crawl space with hardwood flooring and maybe it is just my floor but they do an amazing job of tightening up the bass and improving the focus of the midrange while taking the tweeters to a new level of delicacy.     
nabcs's avatar
nabcs
55 posts
 
I use Townshend Seismic Isolation Podium with great effect.
Speaker and interconnect cables are Audience Au24 SX.
contuzzi
413 posts
 
I can see how a wood floor or sub floor would still allow a benefit from isolation now that you say it.  I’m on concrete.  
benzman's avatar
benzman
421 posts
 
Funny in my system I sold my Au24SX interconnects and speaker wire when I bought the 5F's . Just way to lean.
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