2. speakers
  3. 139186-24316

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
Post removed 
nabcs's avatar
nabcs
55 posts
 
Yes true...that´s no secret for me. I run my Persona 9H with a SET 845 tube amp. Simply marvelous!!
audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
3,938 posts
 

Nabacs we couldn't agree more the Personas when setup correctly are amazing loudspeakers when setup incorrectly they can sound pretty bad.


We heard the Persona 3F on the Anthem STR at AXPONA and this little system at $14.5 k amp and speakers was crushing room which cost way more money. The combination of room tuning via ARC combined with the right sized room gave the Persona 3f a terrific sound.

We have the STR on display and it is excellent, the more expensive STR amp and preamp sounds way better, and the Naim gear also sounds magical with the Personas.

Other top choices we love the Micromega M150 on the Persona 3F as well a more full bodied sound than the Anthem STR with built in streaming and room correction.


So it is as we have been saying for years Personas plus the right electronics are magical, it all comes down to synergy.


Dave and Troy

Audio Doctor NJ Paradigm, Naim, Nad, Micromega, Anthem dealers

djverne
77 posts
 
I demoed a pair of Persona 5F’s with an integrated Macintosh amp today, here are my thoughts:

1. Very well controlled bass but not big.
2. Treble sounded musical with great transient response but their was no air (prob Macintosh related).
3. Could hear the crossover between midrange and tweeter.
4. Mid range was not that impressive and sounded recessed.
5. Coherency was average


audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
3,938 posts
 
djverne,

Honestly don’t know what you are hearing with that setup,

a couple of questions:

1: Were the speakers toed in?

2: What kind of cabling was being used?

3: What was the source?

There are a few really weird things in your description the midrange is anything but recessed, the top end tends to be hot, with a lot of air, so you had something rolling off a lot of detail.

You said the coherency  was average compared to what which speakers are in your mind coherent.

Love to know more about the place you heard them, your findings are very different than what most people find about the speakers.

Could it be that you perhaps didn't like the Mcintosh with the Paradigms, the sound you are describing could be very attributed to the Mcintoh amplifiers which are not very transparent but tend to sound warm and rolled off due to their design. 

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Persona dealers
More to discover