difference between Active20/Studio20 and Active40/Studio40 (1 Viewer)

[Andrew Santos]

do the paradigm reference active series speakers sound significantly better than the regular studio series? they seem like the same speakers, just that the actives are obviously powered. i was wondering if a good amp and the studio series would sound just as good. i did read on the paradigm website though, and the active series speakers seem to have better frequency response, with a little lower extension across the line.

 

[Dustin B]

The Reference Active series from Paradigm has been discontinued.

The Active series is actively biamped. Meaning each speaker has two amp channels in it and the incoming line level signal is put through a crossover before it is amplified. So each amp only amplifies a portion of the signal.

To get a Studio series speaker to do the same you would have to bypass the crossover in the speaker (would require taking it appart). Get some appropriate line level crossovers (no easy task), and get two good amp channels for each speaker.

And yes the Active series was reported as sounding noticably better than the Studio series.

 

[Greg_R]

The amps were also custom designed by Paradigm for their drivers. A good amp + Studio 40s does not = Active 40s. Using an active crossover (as Dustin described) results in a noticeable improvement. IMO, the Active line was exceptional and a step up from the Studio series.

 

[John Cain]

The Actives were/are amazing speakers. It is a crying shame they discontinued them.

-- John

 

[Kevin C Brown]

I also remember that the freq response for the actives were a lot tighter than the studios.

I accidentally got a pair of studio 20's once (brain fart, thought I was getting a really good deal on the actives), and I was really underwhelmed.