First off I am no audophile and really would like some input. I have some questions concerning Paradigm speakers. I currently have Paradigm speakers as follows: Titan bookshelf speakers for front L/R (purchased 10 yrs ago), center channel is Paradigm CC150, Paradigm PDR-10 for subwoofer and for rear surrounds I have some off brand my builder used in ceiling. My receiver is a Yamaha RX-V2600 bot last year, dvd changer is Yamaha C950 and I also have a Yamaha CD 5 disc (don't remember model #, prob bot 10 years ago). I am interested in upgrading my current speakers with the exception of the sub. I want to stay with Paradigm. Would it be a good move if I went with the new Titan monitors for L/R fronts, the CC-290 for center channel and the CS-160 for rear surrounds. I think my local shop here has these priced in total for around $1,100 but might give me a small break on the price. Comments and/or suggestions anyone??
While I think there would no doubt be some improvement, you are still replacing Titans with Titans, etc. I fail to see an $1100 improvment.
If it were me, I would stick with the Paradigm brand, but I would move up to the Studio 20s, along with a matching CC-470 for just a few dollars more than what you are looking at. Then, I would use my current Titans as my surrounds--they will be plenty good enough. Jumping to Studio 20s w/matching center speaker, would make for a significant upgrade in resolution and detail, and as Paradigm is moving to version 4 of the 20s, you should be able to get a very good deal on remaining stocks of the version 3s (which are superb speakers). I think the MSRP on the Studio 20s v.3 with the CC-470 is right around $1250, so it isn't much more than buying five speakers in the lower line. FWIW.
do you have sufficient room for it? If not, than it is not worth the price.
It is a great center, but needs to be driven properly. Ask the dealer if your receiver can drive it. It may be able to, but whether or not it can drive it correctly, and do it justice is another matter entirely.
IMHO, if all factors are acceptable; meaning that you have the room for it, your receiver can drive it, WAF is good, and you really like it, you should consider if it is worth the price to you. THEN compare it to paradigm's other center speakers. You may find one you like more, possibly less expensive.
All Paradigm speakers are voice matched. This means that they will have the same "house sound", from the most to least expensive. Now, I am not recommending that you mate the least expensive center speaker they make from the performance series with the studio 20's. However, a center channel in the Monitor lineup may suffice for YOUR ears, and would certainly blend better than another brand, and would sound a heck of a lot better than replacing the titans with titans :-)
The above suggestion, using a center from the Monitor lineup, may be an easier drive for your receiver as well. I just thought of that. Ask your dealer what he or she feels, and bring up the fact that all Paradigm center channel speakers are voice matched. This is not to say that the Monitor centers are as good as the studios (they are not), but for your purposes and uses, the blend may good.
A good dealer will advise you of this. My local dealer set up a system centered around music for a family friend who was not really concerned about HT (more interested in music), but wanted it to watch a movie from time to time. He ended up buying Monitor 7's, a CC-170, and the surrounds from the Performance lineup as well. Being that he was primarily interested in 2 channel, he wasn't going to waste money in areas where it was not going to be used. They showed him the Monitor center and surrounds, but he couldn't justify the additional money over the low end center / surrounds for a movie every now and then.
Back to the Studio center...
I feel that it is a great center, and should mate with your Studio 20's well. However, keep in mind that your receiver may have difficulty with it.
Thanks for the comments. To answer your first question, I think I have sufficient room. Right now I am leaning towards going w/new studio 20s V.4. I am still undecided on the center channel speaker. Would the CC-290 be a bad match w/the 20s?? Or should I stick w/a CC-470 or CC-570 if I can find one. Also, would you ever buy a demo speaker from an audio shop??
I would rather buy a demo from a shop than new in the box. It is proven. It is broken in. You can crank their speaker before buying. The price should be lower. Win,win.
No to the question on if I think the CC-290 would be a bad match for the Studio-20, but only YOU can be the judge of that :-)
I think the match will be far better than what you are listening to currently, and will be a lot smoother than a CC-170 and the Studio 20's. It may not be as clean as the studio centers, but it would be good enough for me, because I'm not a HT buff.
But, like I said before, only YOU can answer if it is good enough.
Stephen, all paradigm speakers are timbre matched.
The only thing I wouldn't recommend is placing the CC-170 with the studio 20's.
Many people in here will tell you not to wimp out on your center, but it all comes down onto how much you plan splitting your usage between music and movies.
IMHO, if you aren't that much of a movie buff, spend the money on a better set of mains and let the center and surrounds go ever so slightly (IE: the highest option below the series you are looking at), but not to the extent of a total mismatch (low end mated to high end)
I wasn't stating that you won't hear a difference, and you probably will.
But that is just a personal opinion, and what I would do because I don't watch many movies.
I know if I did, my tone would be different.
There are people here that feel that if you have a good set of mains, that you don't even need a center OR surrounds. Watching films in stereo is satisfying if you have speakers that image like crazy. It is escaping me at the moment who they were, but there was a post on this not that awfully long ago.
OK... now I am going to get out of here before I confuse you. Just trust your ears, and if you like what you hear, wait a little longer. The best speaker systems do not draw attention to themselves, but blend with each other. This is where the less expensive option from the Monitor series will most likely have issues, because of its less expensive cabinet construction.
If you don't hear anything out of place or wrong, than it may be money wasted if you spend more for a more expensive center channel.
1. There are varying degrees of a timbre match. Staying within the Reference line will provide a superior timbre match than dropping to the Monitor line.
2. I use neither a center nor surround speakers. However, there is a big reason not to do this. Dropping any speakers while using a Dolby Digital source will throw the system into midnight mode, engaging dynamic range compression. This has been tested by members of this forum including Peter Galbraith and My Rantz.
3. Only spend more when YOU feel you are getting an audible improvement.
Nuck and Stephen both are smart guys. When they talk about keeping the center from the same series, it is for congruence and coherence in the soundfield.
If the center is from the same series, it will guarente that the sound is the best possible. Bar none, the best option is to go with the Studio center channel.
Even though the Monitor center channel is voice matched to the studio 20's, the cabinet is not made as well. Therefore, you will end up with some more resonance than what you would hear in the 20's. You may hear it, and you may not. The drivers are also different. While they have similar sound, and can go together, the quality of the sound is different. The studio speakers have better sound quality.
I hope this helps sort things out a little bit :-)
Not to be disagreeable but I would rather not buy a demo. I have done it and it usually works out. But you really never know what kind of demo's have been done and by whom. Heck Andre might have given them a listen.
Definitely want to keep the center of the same series as the mains. Makes a significant difference.
As Nuck said don't wimp out on the center...it's important.
someone shoot me the next time I recommend that in here :-P
For someone that watches less than a handful of movies (myself and the friend that did the same thing) it works great.
heck, the atoms are sitting on either side of the TV just for the improved sound, and the CD's that happen to play. This is not even mentioning the music channels on the digital cable. These are getting played frequently for background music, and believe it or not the sound quality is excellent. I can actually sit down and listen to it when I want to.
They get much more play than my maggies unfortunatly :-(
If you have a 5.1, the center channel should be 50% of the investment. It does 50% of the work. Music(sacd) and movies. Just mount it right, in wall, above the tv, or below. mount on a swivel if you can.
Or spend your head off for a stereo and take the movies!
While it is true that demos can be abused, there are a few things that can allay your fears. Depending on the store, someone like Andre (no offense) wouldn't be allowed to touch the volume control on the speakers. Also, demos still have the full warranty. And of course speakers can take an amazing amount of abuse. So long as they aren't abused to the point of being damaged (which you should be able to hear), you should be alright.
It really depends I'd say. I can think of reasons why a center may (centers tend to handle more content in surround systems than mains) or may not (HT only, crossed over to subwoofer to help prevent overexcursion) take more abuse. But either way, if you're buying Paradigm Studio speakers, you ain't shopping in Best Buy. I'd imagine the dealer wouldn't let people mess with their stuff too much.
No way. Not in a HT setup, where the center is front and foremost! In a sacd setup, yes, the center is a more comparable part, but think about Independance day on DVD. Abuse? Only if it can't take it.
I guess I should have stated in the beginning what I/we normally watch in that room. We prob watch more movies in this room. The receiver is a 7.1 but I only use 1 sub w/the fronts, center and surrounds. Now when I have the house to myself, I really like to listen to sacd and I don't try to blow down the walls, but I do play the music louder. FWIW.