PSB Image 5T/6T Vs. Paradigm Monitor 7 (1 Viewer)

[MarkZ]

I'm trying to decide between a couple different choices. I can get a PSB Image 6T + 9C combo for about $850, or a Paradigm Monitor 7 + CC370 for about the same. (Within about $30 of each other) I initially went to hear the Image 5T (at DMC-Electronics.com they're local to me.) As David demoed for me, the 6T's have a slightly better midrange than the 5T. (And I mean slightly, he had to switch back and forth a few times before I could hear it.) The 6T's are capable of thunderous bass, not sure how "tight" it is.

I also heard the Monitor 7+CC370 combo at a Paradigm dealer nearby. (Interestingly, owned by David's brother) The Monitor 7's sound quite good as well. I helped my sister set up her system 2 weeks ago, and we bought the Mini-monitors + CC370 + Atom's from him. Got a PSB Subsonic 5i from DMC. Didn't like that the Paradigm's don't have a phase switch. (The Image 2b's were considered as well, but were too big. Plus, the Atom's were availalble in white, which was important to her.)

So, I can't decide, Monitor 7 or Image 6T. (Or 5T?) Room is about 15X10, with celing open to 2nd floor, and open to kitchen/dining room. With the depth of the 6T, the right speaker would be no more than 6" from the rear wall. The left would be a bit into the dining area, so no rear wall directly behind it.

I can demo the 6T's at home for a week, but not the Monitor-7. (You'd think Paradigm would set their dealers up with some extra demo speakers that they could loan out to prospective purchasers.)

I currently have Klipsch KG 4.5, KV-1, and forgot the model of the Klipsch dipole surrounds. Don't have a sub, never needed one with the Klipsch. They are somewhat boomy, so I want to be sure that doesn't happen with the new set. I'll be keeping the surrounds for awhile, maybe considering new ones next year if needed.

Receiver's a Sony STR-DB930.

Any and all comments appreciated!

 

[Marty M]

FWIW, I have been using Monitor 7s for over five years and really love their sound. Paradigm and PSB have a similar sound because they both share the same technology for their tweeters. So you will get very similar results, IMO, with either speaker.

As far as demoing speakers, that is probably a decision made by individual dealers. You might ask if you could take the Paradigm floor models home over the weekend and return on Monday before the store is open. I was able to demo a Paradigm sub from my local dealer.

With either choice you will eventually want to purchase a sub. A sub will provide subtle and no so subtle additions to a 5.1 soundtrack.

Good luck on your choice. You could use the scientific method of flipping a coin.

 

[Khoa Tran]

i'd say get the psbs because i like David better then his brother =P

 

[MarkZ]

i'd say get the psbs because i like David better then his brother =P

I actually agree with you there; David is much easier to work with. (And understand.) His brothers wife (I guess the woman is his wife) is VERY hard to understand.

But, getting the better speaker is more important; I'll be listening to them more than David or Paul.

Any opinion on the 2 choices?

 

[Khoa Tran]

i own psbs so i'm bias and i think paradigms are bright...just listen for yourself and decide

 

[MarkZ]

i own psbs so i'm bias and i think paradigms are bright...just listen for yourself and decide

Which model PSB's do you have? I didn't think the Paradigm (or the PSB's) were bright; but I have Klipsch now, so there isn't much that will sound brighter than those.

 

[Khoa Tran]

In my room i have stratus minis and my dad has stratus goldi, c5i, s10

 

[MarkZ]

Thanks. I'm going to go to DMC tomorrow, and listen to the Stratus models too. Looking at PSB's site, the Bronze are only $50 more then the mini's, and you don't have to buy the $250 stands. If I can get a B-stock pair of Bronze's for the right price, I just might do that. (If I can hear a difference over the 6T, of course.)

 

[Khoa Tran]

the bronze are discontinued, if he has any left he'll probably throw you a good deal...i think there's a significant difference in sound quality from the image to stratus....hey have a listen to the platinums =) incredible....

 

[MarkZ]

I went there today. He does have one pair of demo Bronze's left, but he thinks the 6T is just as good with better bass response.

I listened to some Stratus Silver i's, then the 5T. There was a big difference, the 5T sucked in comparison. Then we switched to the 6T, it was much better. I couldn't hear them side-by-side, but there wasn't a huge difference like there was with the 5T. And the Stratus was driven with a Jolida tube amp, while the 6T was connected to an HK receiver. Even then, to me, the difference was minimal. So, I took a pair of 6T's home to demo. Soon as I get a friend over to help me get them inside, I'll try them out. (These suckers are heavy!)

 

[george_k]

Once the funds are there I think I might pickup a pair of status silver's.

I'm content with my current setup but I yearn for more, I hope once I get the silver's they satisfy me for a good 5-10 years.

 

[MarkZ]

Well, I got the 6T's hooked up. Sounds pretty good to me. I bought the Ascend CMT340 system a couple weeks ago to demo, which I still have. I connected them to my recceivers 'B' connection, and switched back and forth. Of course, the 6T's completely kill it in bass response. I set the receiver's bass management to small, and set it to yes for sub (which I don't have connected) Even with the frequencies below about 100Hz sent to a non-existant sub, the 6T's have better bass response than the CMT340. Mid's are better on the 6T's, too. But, the highs are slightly clearer, "airy" on the CMT340's. Switching back and forth between them on a Madonna CD I happened to be listening to, I could hear a triangle-type instrument in the background much more clearly on the Acends. I'll give the 6T's a few days to break-in to see if it makes a difference.

I'm also tempted by the Stratus's... The Silver i's are about $400 more than the 6T's, but the matching center on top of that really makes it add up. I could get the Stratus Mini's for about $100 more than the 6T's, but then I need a sub much sooner, instead of waiting till I really need it. I really want to demo some Paradigm monitor 7's at home, but the dealer is uncooperative.

I'm going to have to borrow my sister's new mini-monitors for a couple days at home to try them. She won't be thrilled, but I can set up the Atoms in front for a couple days.

 

[CurtisSC]

Mark,

How would you compare voices and horns on the 6T's to the CMT-340's?

Interesting what you say about the mids....clean/full mids are one of the Ascends' strong suits.

 

[MarkZ]

How would you compare voices and horns on the 6T's to the CMT-340's?

I'll have to try something with horns tonight. Voices seem a touch "laid-back" or recessed compared to the 6T. Part of it is the Ascends play at a slightly lower volume than the 6T's for a given volume setting. So when I switch, they get a bit softer. It's entirely possible that the Ascend is more accurate than the 6T, and I'm used to the more forward sound which is why I like it better. I left the system on this morning playing a CD on repeat till I get home to see if breaking in the PSB's makes a difference.

I'll try some Paradigm Mini-monitors this weekend and see how they compare.