Paradigm S-1 Signature Speaker Review

[microstrip]

(...) There are other great Canadian loudspeaker companies like Paradigm that you can trust their specs! ...Mirage, Energy, Axiom, Coincident, Totem, PSB, and several others... (...)

You have just nominated one of the companies that attracted my interest during the last months - Coincident. Unhappily I could not listen to their products as they do not have a distributor in my country, but they are not a specification driven company - they are what I would call a extreme subjective company!

BTW, I have never been to Canada but is is in a high position in my wish list of countries to visit.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

You have just nominated one of the companies that attracted my interest during the last months - Coincident. Unhappily I could not listen to their products as they do not have a distributor in my country, but they are not a specification driven company - they are what I would call a extreme subjective company!

BTW, I have never been to Canada but is is in a high position in my wish list of countries to visit.

Visit in the summer time.

Tim

 

[audioguy]

Over-amping.

Many moons ago I had some behemoth Krell amp driving Apogee Divas and also had a pair of Bose 601's (or some such number) that I was trying to sell.

A guy came by to listen (way before the Internet and Audiogon) and the only amp I had was the Krell to drive them.

I was blown away by the difference it made. A pure crap speaker sounded amazing (relatively speaking). I had been using them in a different system in a different room.

Needless to say, the guy bought them (but I bet he was disappointed when he got them home and hung them on his 25 watt per channel receiver !!)

 

[NorthStar]

You have just nominated one of the companies that attracted my interest during the last months - Coincident. Unhappily I could not listen to their products as they do not have a distributor in my country, but they are not a specification driven company - they are what I would call a extreme subjective company!

BTW, I have never been to Canada but is is in a high position in my wish list of countries to visit.

In Canada we have Paradigm Reference Signature loudspeakers, we have Coincident Total Eclipse and Super Eclipse III loudspeakers, we have PMC loudspeakers, ...Newform Research Ribbon speakers, Bryston power amplifiers and preamplifiers, Anthem Statement D2v/ARC1 Surround Processor, Odyssee Motion Simulator (D-Box technology); we also have poutine, snow (in the Winter), a peaceful and amicable overall population of animals and humans, ...trees, mountains, lakes, two oceans (actually three!), and we have what it takes to be a good neighbor with the rest of the world!

...Ready to sing now?

 

[tonmeister2008]

If they only knew this to be true . The other day I had a Canadian guy in. You should have seen his jaw drop when I told him Paradigm was Canadian and the history of the company and such. He had no idea. It is a bit like our population not knowing who our Vice President is! http://www.newsweek.com/2011/03/20/how-dumb-are-we.html

"How Dumb Are We?

When NEWSWEEK recently asked 1,000 U.S. citizens to take America’s official citizenship test, 29 percent couldn’t name the vice president. Seventy-three percent couldn’t correctly say why we fought the Cold War. Forty-four percent were unable to define the Bill of Rights. And 6 percent couldn’t even circle Independence Day on a calendar."

Oh boy.

Being a fellow Canadian, I can attest to the fact that they make good speakers - Much of that has to do with government funded loudspeaker research at the National Research Council of Canada that benefitted PSB, Paradigm, Energy-Mirage and other companies who followed that work. Most of that work stopped after 1993, and the Acoustics and Signal Processing Group at NRC closed its doors last year, although the anechoic testing chamber still operates.

As a Canadian, I did the American citizenship test in Newsweek and scored significantly better than the average American. I wonder if Canadians would score better on average than Americans on their own citizenship test, since Canadians are bombarded with US news and culture, and we study American history in school. Probably not.

I'm always asked how Canadians are different from Americans and for me the biggest difference has to do with beliefs in religion, science and politics. This is supported in recent polls http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dail...-believe-creationism-20110323-174823-536.html which is summarized below.

When asked if humans evolved through natural selection, 58 per cent of surveyed Canadians answered affirmatively compared to only 16 per cent of Americans.

When asked if humans evolved with help from divine guidance, 19 per cent of Canadians agreed compared to 38 per cent of Americans.

Finally, when asked if humans were created by God in the last 10,000 years, 14 per cent of Canadians agreed while 40 per cent of Americans said yes.

"Americans are the most Christianised and frequent churches attendees of all of the advanced Western societies," says Graves.

I don't know if this is related to their poor performance in citizenship tests, but I know that politics, American history and science are not subjects typically discussed in church.

 

[NorthStar]

Tabaslack, simonac, oh ye!

First, I did not know that you were a Canadian Sean.

Two, you just brought up some interesting 'traits' about Americans and Canadians.

Also, in Canada, like right now for example, it's time for 'les sirops d'erable dans les cabanes a sucres'.
The sap is running from the maple trees. Cold nights and warmer days are the recipe.
I luv 'la tire d'erable' (from the hot maple sirop freezing on the snow).
And the parties in those 'cabanes' are something to be truly experienced!
The people, 'la bonne humeur', the food, the dancing, and couple drinks too...

* But this thread is about the Canadian Paradigm Reference Signature S-1 speakers right?
{I just described only one of their characteristic!}

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Finally, when asked if humans were created by God in the last 10,000 years, 14 per cent of Canadians agreed while 40 per cent of Americans said yes.

Sean, this is not because 40% of Americans are creationists, but because 39% of us can't count.

Tim

 

[amirm]

Great post Sean .

 

[Bruce B]

I'm headed to B.C. in a few weeks. I loved dating Canadian women! I know the ferry system really well to Nanaimo. Taking the ferry from the Tsawwassen and Horseshoe Bay were considered mini-cruises!

The best part is that Mike's Hard Lemonade and Smirnoff Ice have Vodka in them instead of the crap malt that they put in here in the U.S.

Long live the Loonie!

 

[amirm]

OK, I thought the plan was for us to take over Canada, not the other way around!

 

[NorthStar]

Yeah, our Loonie is strong right now, and the American buck is weak!

But that's OK, we're still neighbors.

 

[tonmeister2008]

Sean, this is not because 40% of Americans are creationists, but because 39% of us can't count.

Tim

Well, it follows those 39- 40% cannot count (or perhaps read and comprehend pollster's questions) since the poll found that views about evolution vs creation depended on level of education:

"The Gallup poll found views vary based on level of education and religiosity. Those with less education are more likely to hold a creationist view and the more education one has, the more likely he or she is to believe God had no part in the evolution process."

I wonder how many creationists are high-end audiophiles (or aspire to be one) since both philosophies involve a certain amount of blind faith, and the rejection of scientific evidence that seriously challenges their faith? -

 

[tonmeister2008]

You have just nominated one of the companies that attracted my interest during the last months - Coincident. Unhappily I could not listen to their products as they do not have a distributor in my country, but they are not a specification driven company - they are what I would call a extreme subjective company!

BTW, I have never been to Canada but is is in a high position in my wish list of countries to visit.

You mentioned Mirage and Energy, as Canadian companies. I'm not so sure you can call them that any longer since those API brands were purchased by Klipsch, an American company, that has since been purchased by Audiovox. On the Audiovox web site, it's interesting they don't mention Energy/Mirage - or even Klipsch- as one of their brands here: http://www.audiovox.com/brand_story. I don't know how to interpret that.

"Among the powerful domestic brands now owned by Audiovox include Acoustic Research, Advent, Ambico, Code Alarm, Discwasher, Energizer, Jensen, Prestige, RCA, Roadgear, Spikemaster and Terk. International brands include Heco, Incaar, Oehlbach, Mac Audio and Magnate, among others. With its strong brand recognition, impressive blue-chip customer base and distribution capabilities, Audiovox is poised to expand its market presence and remains committed to generating long-term sustainable value for its shareholders."

 

[Steve williams]

As an aside and unrelated to Canadian made speakers, perhaps my favorite Canadian audio company is Ed Meitner's EMMLabs

 

[RUR]

You mentioned Mirage and Energy, as Canadian companies. I'm not so sure you can call them that any longer since those API brands were purchased by Klipsch, an American company, that has since been purchased by Audiovox.

Strictly speaking, Paradigm has been owned by an American holding company, Shoreview Industries, since ~2005. Work continues in Canada, eh?, and fabrication of ESL panels for Martin Logan (another Shoreview company), moved to the Paradigm facility last year.

 

[tonmeister2008]

Strictly speaking, Paradigm has been owned by an American holding company, Shoreview Industries, since ~2005. Work continues in Canada, eh?, and fabrication of ESL panels for Martin Logan (another Shoreview company), moved to the Paradigm facility last year.

Strictly speaking, I'm not sure Shoreline Industries "owns" Paradigm per se. Shoreline invested money into the company a few years ago, when two of the three original Paradigm owners left the company. I believe Paradigm is still the majority owner and controls the company.

 

[tonmeister2008]

As an aside and unrelated to Canadian made speakers, perhaps my favorite Canadian audio company is Ed Meitner's EMMLabs

I met Ed eons ago at McGill University when he made turntables and cartridges. We have one of his CD-SACD transports and converters in our "Japanese" listening rooms. They were ordered at the insistence of the reviewers who will only evaluate our loudspeakers through their preferred electronics.

 

[RUR]

Strictly speaking, I'm not sure Shoreline Industries "owns" Paradigm per se. Shoreline invested money into the company a few years ago, when two of the three original Paradigm owners left the company. I believe Paradigm is still the majority owner and controls the company.

Sean, since both companies are privately held, we may never know the details of who now owns what share, but Thomson M&A described the transaction at the time as "Shoreview Industries acquired Paradigm Electronics Inc, a manufacturer of loud speakers, in a recapitalization leveraged buyout transaction", hence my OP.

 

[JackD201]

You mentioned Mirage and Energy, as Canadian companies. I'm not so sure you can call them that any longer since those API brands were purchased by Klipsch, an American company, that has since been purchased by Audiovox. On the Audiovox web site, it's interesting they don't mention Energy/Mirage - or even Klipsch- as one of their brands here: http://www.audiovox.com/brand_story. I don't know how to interpret that.

"Among the powerful domestic brands now owned by Audiovox include Acoustic Research, Advent, Ambico, Code Alarm, Discwasher, Energizer, Jensen, Prestige, RCA, Roadgear, Spikemaster and Terk. International brands include Heco, Incaar, Oehlbach, Mac Audio and Magnate, among others. With its strong brand recognition, impressive blue-chip customer base and distribution capabilities, Audiovox is poised to expand its market presence and remains committed to generating long-term sustainable value for its shareholders."

I don't know what entity was responsible for turning Acoustic Research into what it is today but it has got to be one of the saddest examples of what NOT to do with a marque with great history. It's such a shame.

The Canadian speaker maker I've found to be very consistent in delivering excellent sound and build quality is Verity.

 

[garylkoh]

I don't know what entity was responsible for turning Acoustic Research into what it is today but it has got to be one of the saddest examples of what NOT to do with a marque with great history. It's such a shame.

I agree - I think that the culprit was Recoton.... and they did the same thing to Advent. It was very sad for me to see wireless speakers from Acoustic Research and Advent:

http://www.amazon.com/Audiovox-Acoustic-Research-AW825-Wireless/dp/B002AQ30T0/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_1

http://www.amazon.com/Advent-AW810-Wireless-Outdoor-Speaker/dp/B00000JII6

My introduction to the "high end" was the AR4a loudspeakers my father had in the 60's I believe. By the time I stopped drooling and sucking my toes, the foam surrounds had rotted in the tropical heat and humidity.