Paradigm persona 9H

[dmance]

My understanding is that the 9H powered bass drivers & DSP take over below 400Hz and the impedance should be very high. Basically the amplifier does not need to supply any current below 400Hz is what the designer told me. The DSP samples from a high impedance input. I dont understand how the measured plots show the impedance.
BTW I drove them with a 30watt ZOTL at the dealer and was absolute blown away.

 

[Sal1950]

BTW I drove them with a 30watt ZOTL at the dealer and was absolute blown away.

By what, all the harmonic distortion?
Would you really spend $35K on a pair of speakers and then drive them with a fuzz box?
I listened to the 9H at last years Tampa show being driven by Anthem solid state STR separates and using room correction, the whole system seemed to totally disappear with quality recordings.

 

[dmance]

By what, all the harmonic distortion?
Would you really spend $35K on a pair of speakers and then drive them with a fuzz box?
I listened to the 9H at last years Tampa show being driven by Anthem solid state STR separates and using room correction, the whole system seemed to totally disappear with quality recordings.

Sure - the point i was making is i filled the demo room with maybe 7-8 watts (volume at less than 1/3). I am considering powering these directly by the 18watts from a Chord Hugo TT2 Dac/Amp outputs. Im sure the Anthem sound great but i am looking for the sheer transparency i hear with headphones direct.

 

[Sal1950]

Im sure the Anthem sound great but i am looking for the sheer transparency i hear with headphones direct.

If you listen in the nearfield at polite levels the Chord might satisfy with some music genre's but will be very limiting.
The "transparency" experience of phones is mainly do to the near total absence of room sound and reflections.. You might be better accomplished using a very high quality room correction system and no less than 100 wpc.

 

[Bear123]

Sure - the point i was making is i filled the demo room with maybe 7-8 watts (volume at less than 1/3). I am considering powering these directly by the 18watts from a Chord Hugo TT2 Dac/Amp outputs. Im sure the Anthem sound great but i am looking for the sheer transparency i hear with headphones direct.

$5000 for a DAC and 18 watts with 1% distortion????

 

[Impossible]

I'm going with the persona 7f. I have a paradigm sub2 as well. I also have Dirac room eq with new bass management eq.

I'm not very good with these graphs. What spec amp do I need to run the 7h's? Or do you recommend any. Currently looking at emotiva dr3.

 

[steve59]

Not the emotiva. The best i've heard with the 7f is the Pathos logos mkII. If you want more of an airy, audiophile type sound the Anthem str stuff will get you there quick, but the pathos combo is much more organic. a term I save exclusively for asr.

 

[steve59]

I'm between the 3f with sub(s) or 7f to try to match the sound i'm currently getting with less investment. It's fun hanging out at my dealers showroom watching shoppers walk into the paradigm room and lose their composure from being so moved by the music. Same experience that turned me into an audiophile.

 

[SimpleTheater]

I'm going with the persona 7f. I have a paradigm sub2 as well. I also have Dirac room eq with new bass management eq.

I'm not very good with these graphs. What spec amp do I need to run the 7h's? Or do you recommend any. Currently looking at emotiva dr3.

Why would you buy these speakers? Have you read the first page? Here's the measurements for the 5f.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/paradigm-persona-5f-loudspeaker-measurements

They look terrible.

 

[Impossible]

Why would you buy these speakers? Have you read the first page? Here's the measurements for the 5f.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/paradigm-persona-5f-loudspeaker-measurements

They look terrible.

Sorry Im not sure what they mean, can you explain?

 

[paddycrow]

I auditioned the Personas last fall, along with B&W 800 series and McIntosh XR100 in the same room. Surprisingly, I preferred the little Mac.

I was hoping to audition a number of other speakers at AXPONA this year.

 

[steve59]

I owned the salon1 and salon2, even had both at the same time for awhile and neither pulled me into the music like the persona and when it comes to soundstage the revels don't create one. So if measurements help you sleep at night buy them and kef and ignore the rest.

 

[SimpleTheater]

Sorry Im not sure what they mean, can you explain?

Let me clarify - at this price range, why would you buy these.

The Revel Ultima Salon2 speakers are cheaper and measure better. It's close, the Paradigm's aren't overpriced junk, they are well engineered, but the Revel's are better speakers. Even if you go by Stereophile's recommendations, the Revel Salon2 make the A (Full-Range) list, where the Paradigm 5F's are in the Restricted list.

Additionally, according the Stereophile measurements it was said of the 5F's "I think this speaker would work best with an amplifier compatible with 4 ohm loads". Measurements of the Salon2 it was stated "but other than organ and house music, it is rare for there to be much energy in this region, which will ameliorate any drive problems this load might cause an optimistically specified amplifier". With the Salons having better frequency response, an easier load, and full-range, I don't see the purpose of the Paradigm's.

 

[SimpleTheater]

I owned the salon1 and salon2, even had both at the same time for awhile and neither pulled me into the music like the persona and when it comes to soundstage the revels don't create one. So if measurements help you sleep at night buy them and kef and ignore the rest.

No one is going to argue a person's individual preferences. But @Impossible should know that Kal Rubinson preferred the Revel 228be over the Paradigm Persona 3F's AND the 5F's.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/paradigm-persona.6883/page-5#post-434836

 

[steve59]

Why, for KR's approval? Do you own or sell revel? why the insecurity to come on a persona thread and tell someone to buy revel instead? There's another thread on this forum questioning why the hobby has become so hostile. think about it.

 

[SimpleTheater]

Why, for KR's approval? Do you own or sell revel? why the insecurity to come on a persona thread and tell someone to buy revel instead? There's another thread on this forum questioning why the hobby has become so hostile. think about it.

I don't see anything hostile about asking someone why they would buy x over y. It is very hard to know if people are truthful on the Internet, so after you said you've heard Revels and said "when it comes to soundstage the revels don't create one " , I simply wanted @Impossible to know a very respected reviewer had heard Revels and personally would choose them over the Paradigms. I don't sell Revels. I don't own Revels. They just aren't great speakers for the price they're asking. Cut the cost by 50% and I'd say buy them.

 

[Sal1950]

Don't let this get out of hand please, speaker preference is up to the owner.
Some people like flat, some don't.
@Impossible , the best I've ever heard Paradigms sound was at the 2018 Tampa show where they were being driven by the Anthem electronics and heavily room tuned by ARC. Since you already have Dirac I would suggest maybe a Anthem power amps or something from Parasound. If your budget can handle it, a Benchmark AHB2 would be the ultimate right now, upgradable to monoblocks if you feel the need for more power, which I doubt.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

No one is going to argue a person's individual preferences.

Then let's not. Let's presume that anyone who is participating on ASR has access to the information herein (and elsewhere) and not beat up on them if their preference runs counter to local opinions.

 

[steve59]

ok, I think I take offense because this is the persona thread. I, like you feel strong about the subject but am on the opposite side because I haven’t heard a flat measuring speaker That was any good in my room. Multiple kef Ref and the ultimas all let me down. I believe the intricate xovers used to correct them creates An unrealistic Load for most amps and reduce the chance for success. This is my experience with the 2 brands I’m most familiar with that trust in the measurements available.

tis A wee bit arrogant to tell me my speaker choice is wrong because KV or KR or FT says so. To suggest they needn’t exist because of revel. Biting my tongue.

 

[AudioJester]

Having learnt the hard way, never follow person A who says X sounds better than Y. Too much individual human variability in preferences. Start with measurements to work out whats not broken, then audition within budget. Do as much research as you can but avoid individual proclomations of better.

My useless 2 cents - Revel > Paradigm, and I own Paradigm.