"I just bought the Paradigm Signature S2 v.3
speakers based on your review"
April 15, 2010
Editor,
I just bought the Paradigm Signature S2 v.3 speakers based
on
your review, although
I never had a chance to listen to them beforehand. I do own the Paradigm Studio 60 v.4s and
enjoy them, so I was confident. Finding shops in which to audition gear is becoming
increasingly difficult these days, even in major urban areas. Im glad to say that,
as you predicted, Im thrilled with the performance of the Signatures. I will be
downsizing my listening room considerably in the near future and cant contemplate
the enormous subs you recommend. Maybe someday youll profile smaller subs.
Fortunately, the Paradigms really satisfy me with the their bass quality and, for now,
this is not an issue. Thanks again for your recommendation. The speakers are exactly as
you described them with the added bonus that they are plenty satisfying in the bass
without any augmentation.
Ben Taub
More than just "Loudspeaker Talk"
April 8, 2010
To Jeff Fritz,
I read this article ("Loudspeaker Talk")
with interest, since, you may recall, that in the late 80s and early 90s there
was a lot of talk in some magazines regarding the importance of the source (I think this
concept was pushed by Linn, whose main business for a long time was turntables -- no need
to say more). I even remember UHF Magazine recommending to spend most of the
available money on a good source (CD player, turntable) and buy much lesser components
with a path of possible upgrade down the road: "garbage in , garbage out" was
the thinking. I never subscribed to that theory as I believe that there is a certain
balance you must strive for when building a system. In one of his reviews, Andrew Marshall
(AM) made the point that you cannot neglect the speakers, since they are the only part of
the system that you actually hear. I have a strong feeling that AM, like Doug Schneider,
is a speaker guy, but AM's argument made (and still makes) the most sense.
It is interesting that in the last few years I`ve seen a
lot of expensive speakers (in magazine reviews, stores, shows) matched with much
less-expensive electronics with great results. However, the caution in audio is that there
are no absolutes since the reverse is also true: you also see some well-engineered
speakers matching very well with much more expensive electronics. Like many buyers, one of
the thrills for me when buying audio gear is finding the best component that represents
value for money, not in the sense of searching for the dream, dirt-cheap $300 amp beating
a $6000 one -- I have never seen this happen -- but finding well-designed components that
at a certain price point require serious cash investment in order to significantly improve
on its performance. I am thinking of my Simaudio Moon i-5 that six years since its
purchase still sounds very good today and will require, to improve on its performance,
that I either go with the newer Moon high-end integrated or an amp from another company,
at double the cost.
Speakers are for me the most difficult item to purchase;
many of the reasons you mentioned in your excellent article. I tend to look for neutrality
with an unfatiguing top end. One of the reasons is since I don't listen only to audiophile
recordings; a lot of my LP and CD collection has badly recorded music that can grate on
the nerves on a revealing system.
Since the advent of home theater and interior
designer-conscious purchases, I've seen some setups that lead me to believe that
speakers placement and how they interact with the room has become an afterthought. I
recall seeing in a Quebec magazine a fabulous HT room with expensive Wilson speakers with
the mains literally stuck against the front wall and I am thinking, What's the point?
Unless of course the owner asked Wilson Audio to alter the frequency response to
compensate for the likely boomy bass they would normally produce in such a setting.
You are right in the end: Buy from well-respected
manufacturers who adhere to solid design principles, know your preferences, and understand
that your listening room may be one of the most important factors in enjoying your
speakers.
Sorry for the long letter, but your article really hit the
mark with me.
Sincerely,
Pierre
More Buffett advice?
April 3, 2010
To Jeff Fritz,
As a long time Berkshire shareholder, I read your article
("Warren Buffett
an Audiophile?") with interest. I believe Mr. Buffett [would have] a couple of
pieces of advice for audiophiles: Make your audio purchases as if you were given a ticket
with ten punches, one for each equipment purchase allowed during your lifetime. Sage
advice to prevent audio nervosa.
Also remember: "Price is what you pay. Value is what
you get."
Regards,
Mark Zobel
More things I wish Id said. . . . Jeff Fritz
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