Deciding Between Floor Standing Speakers

[teachsac]

Well, I've been looking into floor standing speakers for awhile now. Finally narrowing it down to 2 choices:

Paradigm Signature 6 (MSRP $6598/pair): These were my favorites. Very clean and open. Couldn't believe the difference between the next Level down (Prestige) and these.

http://paradigm.com/products-current/type=tower/model=signature-s6/page=overview

B&W Diamond 804s (MSRP $7495/pair): These were a little warmer. Still spectacular sound. Made the CM10s sound like garbage. Didn't really care for the 10s anyways.

http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Speakers/Home_Audio/800_Series_Diamond/804-Diamond.html

Really tough choice. Plus I'll need to add a matching center.

S~

 

[raoul5788]

I don't have much experience with either, but have listened to a lot of Paradigms over the years and I really like them generally.

 

[raoul5788]

Have you auditioned any Thiels?

 

[navychop]

Well, I'm a Klipschorn guy, so you know where I stand. I've heard much good about Paradigms. But this post is to plug getting a GOOD center. Made all the difference in the world to me- maybe the most important speaker.

 

[teachsac]

Have you auditioned any Thiels?

Thiel specializes in 2 channel audio.

S~

 

[teachsac]

Well, I'm a Klipschorn guy, so you know where I stand. I've heard much good about Paradigms. But this post is to plug getting a GOOD center. Made all the difference in the world to me- maybe the most important speaker.

Looking at replacing my RB75s and center.

S~

 

[gadgtfreek]

Heard great thing about Paradigm.

Glad I went with big towers when I did my move to Klipsch.

 

[harshness]

For that money, they should allow you to audition them in your home. That's the only way you're going to know.

 

[jayn_j]

Personally, I stay with some classic Klipsch KG4s from 1990. I have newer towers, but leave them upstairs in the family room.

I think many people pay way too much attention to the L&R at the expense of the center. They worry about the visual impact of the center to the degree that they ignore the sound. How many setups have you seen with large towers holding 12" woofers and 2 horns for the :&R, and then a center with a single horn and 2 5" cones? I see it all too often.

In my mind, this is wasted money. Even with the action adventure films, the majority of the sound comes out of the center speaker. Many movies are 90% center. Your experience is only going to be as good as the weakest link, so why compromise with the speaker that provides most of the sound?

Some day I will redo my theater room and add an acoustically transparent screen. At that point, I will look for a set of classic Klipsch Cornwalls and put 3 behind the screen. Meanwhile, I have to compromise. I can't fit a KG4 below my screen, so I have the next smaller KG3, on its side, with the horn rotated 90 degrees. It is acceptable, but a noticeable compromise.

I guess where I am coming from is to recommend you not only look for series compatibility, but even go so far as buying the center that is billed as 1 step up from your mains. Oh, and make damned sure you get this right before you start buying into the marketing hype about adding 7.1. That's a whole different rant though.

 

[harshness]

Looking at replacing my RB75s and center.

I have a similar setup incorporating a M&K center. Any improvements would come from something with a better lower end. The RF-7s were too big, too expensive and a little too bright at the time.

 

[harshness]

How many setups have you seen with large towers holding 12" woofers and 2 horns for the :&R, and then a center with a single horn and 2 5" cones?

I'm a big believer in the fewer drivers the better when it comes to centers. Nodes suck and that's why I chose a two-way center (one 6" cone and a small dome). It is a little larger but the sound is more uniform.

 

[navychop]

....Oh, and make damned sure you get this right before you start buying into the marketing hype about adding 7.1. That's a whole different rant though.

Rant away, I love my 7.1 setup, especially on the extremely rare occasion where they all are put to good use. I probably should get a calendar and mark down when that happens, but to maintain a calendar with so few marks....
<sigh>

 

[jayn_j]

Rant away, I love my 7.1 setup, especially on the extremely rare occasion where they all are put to good use. I probably should get a calendar and mark down when that happens, but to maintain a calendar with so few marks....
<sigh>

Exactly my rant. Put your money into the other 5. Exception is a very large room where the other 2 can be repurposed for ambience.

 

[jayn_j]

I'm a big believer in the fewer drivers the better when it comes to centers. Nodes suck and that's why I chose a two-way center (one 6" cone and a small dome). It is a little larger but the sound is more uniform.

Yet all the mains being discussed have multiple woofers. This made some sense back in the days of dolby pro-logic where common signals were directed at the center. These days with discrete front channels, the sound engineers will often direct a small amount of sound to the l&R pair to widen the soundstage. Those speakers are a lot further apart and in my mind more likely to generate nodes. I just don't see much from a 200 Hz signal working from a pair of woofers that are separated by 8"

 

[gadgtfreek]

Still surprised at the amount of flicks I watch that arent 7.1 lossless tracks.

 

[teachsac]

For that money, they should allow you to audition them in your home. That's the only way you're going to know.

That part isn't a problem. I still have my contacts from before I sold my business. Tough part is finding places to audition anymore.

S~

 

[teachsac]

Rant away, I love my 7.1 setup, especially on the extremely rare occasion where they all are put to good use. I probably should get a calendar and mark down when that happens, but to maintain a calendar with so few marks....
<sigh>

More and more movies are 7.1 now than ever before. Most everything I've purchased recently is 7.1 (Maleficent, Dawn of PotA, Ninja Turtles, etc.). Several even have Atmos tracks. Always putting them to good use in the HT. Even 5.1 and using PL, works well.

S~

 

[gadgtfreek]

That part isn't a problem. I still have my contacts from before I sold my business. Tough part is finding places to audition anymore.

S~

That is here. A lot of the brands like paradigm are found at one shop here, and they wan't an appointment, want to talk about an in home visit. Crap I just do not want to deal with.

 

[teachsac]

We always did that. Not the appointment part, just home visit.

S~

 

[gadgtfreek]

I guess it reminds me too much of buying a car and I have distaste for that. I generally go into a purchase with most of the knowledge I need, just one little piece of the puzzle left (listening/looking/touching). These people want to "used car dealer" the hell out of you and it annoys me. So I haven't been back.