Paradigm Persona series

@jafant, there is a sense with regard to the "digital" sound I was experiencing that sounded like I was getting more of the reflected sound the microphones were picking up than the direct sound on orchestral works during quiet portions.  I don't know if that's part of the frequency response aberrations of this speaker (all speakers have them) or if its simply higher resolving than my Thiels which are quite (as you know) highly resolving themselves.  Right now I'm listening using a Woo Audio WA2 as a preamp and it really gets us 80% there in terms of bringing that midrange forward a bit and getting rid of that glare/excess of reflected sound (I'm not sure how else to describe it).  Its a great sound.  Unfortunately its not really practical for me to use the WA2 as a preamp because it has no remote and I'm also having to use single ended interconnects and I'm getting a tiny bit of hum...not sure if its a ground loop or not...I may trip to lift the ground on one or more components as an experiment.  I really think the system deserves a better preamp.  I could try rolling in a couple of NOS 12AX7s into the Aesthetix preamps to see if that would warm the Aesthetix gear up a bit (that would only cost me a couple hundred dollars).  The Aesthetix uses solid state rectification I believe, probably a high quality HEXFRED type circuit.  I'm also going to switch in a Prima Luna preamp and see if that equals or betters the WA2 (it should)...the Prima Luna has tube rectification and generally speaking I think tube rectification on a tube preamp sounds better than SS rectification based on what I'm experiencing now and in the past.

Just purchased an Accuphase E650 for my Personas....works very well....lots of power for the mids and tweeters, and the powered woofers take care of themselves....very smooth.

In the end, after two listening sessions, I was pretty sure that I would find the 3Fs fatiguing in long listening sessions.  What was intriguing was the way I could hear the wood and bow of the viola in one of my audition tracks.  But in my own listening the Harbeths were even more revealing, with a much less fatiguing sound, solid bass and a stunningly realistic sound of voice and small ensembles.  So Harbeths it is for me.

chacun à son goût

ahofer: what was the exact audition track?

pwhinson

Much Thanks! for the follow up. I believe that your system has plenty of warmth and the mid-range was perfect ( not too forward nor too recessed). I will say that the 9H throws a larger mid-range to my ears.
Happy Listening!