Paradigm Monitor 60 v3

Systems

I'm looking into a pair or Paradigm Monitor 60 version 3's. I've been shopping these for a little while now and found a place here in Pensacola, Florida with a set for a reasonable $1100. They sounded pretty damn good demo'd with a nice Pioneer Elite HT receiver. I'm wondering how they will sound with a second 2 channel set-up I'm working on right now. Equipment as follows:

Pair Transcendant Sound SC-150 Monoblocks
150w per with EL-509 Tubes

Xiang Sheng 728 Tube Preamp
Rotel RCD-02....Thanks Zombie Boy 2000
PS Audio DAC
Audioquest IC's
Audioquest Type 6 SC's
Speakers?

What are your thoughts? Has anyone sampled these speakers before? Since I travel so much with my work I could hold out for a better speaker for a little while if I see a deal in another city.

sucks2beme

I've got V.2. It's on the bright side.
I was using Parasound pre and Rotel power
amp with AQ king cobras and cv-6 speaker
cables. I tried Kimber Heroes IC's that
helped. I ended up changing amps. It seems
to like B&K better than rotel. It should
sound good with tubes.

dkg999

I have the Studio Ref 20.v3 in an office 2 ch setup. The tweeters are on the bright side, but its a very detailed smooth brightness that is very well integrated with the mid/woofer. Imaging is fantastic and they are not real picky on positioning. I certainly would not recommend using very bright, detailed source components all through the chain with the Paradigm's at the end! I just played around last night with the Dodd ELP tube pre and a Parasound HCA-1000 power amp driving the 20's, and it was very, very good! Source was a very detailed, neutral Cambridge Audio 640 v1 CDP, which the Dodd toned down very nicely.

Holydoc

Stereo_Luver,

You must be referring to All Pro Sound in Pensacola. They had a pair of Studio that they would let go for the same price in a TV room the last time I went there. I think the claim was, they are old and we will not be carrying the Studio line anymore. Did you get a chance to listen to those?

Personally, I thought the monitors sounded an awful lot like the RTi series of Polks. I was not impressed enough to swap out my polks for them. Be sure you take a lot of your own music that you know well. I took 5 CDs with me (they just happen to be hooked up to a 5 CD changer) and spent most of the day comparing sounds.

BTW... I know the B&W's may be a bit out of your price range right now (I think about twice the price) but what did you think about their sound? The way the B&W separate the different instruments was kind of cool, but it also sounded as if some part of the recording was missing. Just wanted to know if that was just me or if you heard it too.

Good luck on your search.

sucks2beme

Holydoc wrote:

Stereo_Luver,

Personally, I thought the monitors sounded an awful lot like the RTi series of Polks. I was not impressed enough to swap out my polks for them. Be sure you take a lot of your own music that you know well. I took 5 CDs with me (they just happen to be hooked up to a 5 CD changer) and spent most of the day comparing sounds.

Good luck on your search.

I have RTI10's in the HT. The studio 60's are much better, but share the
annoying trait of being bright. They are fairly easy to drive, but are
built for working with a sub. Nothing like my old 11se's!!! Those would
overwhelm a small room with bass. The right amp will sound good with them,
but if you're a bass junkie, forget it. There are a lot of good speakers in
this price range. Mine were a trade in at a local shop and were very
reasonably priced. Big departure from my vintage Snells.

Systems

Yep...sampled a set at All Pro Sound over on Fairfield. Talked to Robert George who told me the same thing. No more studio 60 v3's to be in the store. The version 4's are out and on the way. I may play a game of wait and see. Wait till the version 4's come in and work a better deal. I did notice that they were a tad bright with their HTR I sampled, but I know that I can see a difference when I use my tubes. I know...I know...tubes lack in the bass. For some reason these mono's have a great bass response. If needed I have several...SEVERAL damnit....subs to choose from if I need to add one. But I did like the sound that they reproduced. The B&W's were nice. The 802's were calling me back into the room as long as I was there. I ignored them....till I was ready to leave. I listened and walked away. My bank account was happy I did this.

Its like the first time I listened to a set of Monitor 10's. It lead me to a set of RTA 11's....then a set of SDA 1's...then a set of SDA 2B's. I just have what you might call a Polk ear? I like the way they sound. I also like the way a set of LaScalla's sound...or a set of Churchills sound. But I'll always like the way a Polk sounds. I just want to try some new speakers. I've got loads of speakers...I just want something different..

Holydoc

Sucks,

The studios may in fact sound better than the RTi series, but I was just not impressed enough to pull the trigger. No offense if that is what you own. The monitors were nearly identical to my ears (that is not saying much) as my current RTi12's. If I am going to upgrade, I want an upgrade that kicks me in the butt and says "Here I am!".

Stereo,

Yeppers. That is the store that I have been in pestering the guys. I think each time I talked to a Brian Kincaid.

Now please excuse me if I steered you towards the 802's. Those were NOT the speakers that I was asking about. Those are a bit out of my range. I was talking more about the 700 series on the floor next to the monitors. Next time you are in there and before you walk out, do an A/B comparison of them. They are not very sensitive so there will be a huge decibel level change in your A/B testing so crank that volume knob up when switching to the B&W's. They definitely sound different. I am just so use to the Polk sound that I am not sure if they sound better.

Of course now with the Mini Stratos from AV123 staring at me, I just have to wait and see what their center speaker is going to be like. Hopefully not a gigantic monstrosity like their Big Foot.