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New to the audio world

Mikeinman

Active Member
Good morning.. I'm new to the world audiophile..thanks for adding me.. I've ran into a few good finds and I decided to put together something that's ok I'm guessing.. so I'll tell you what I have and hopefully you fine people can give me some suggestions. I recently bought a pair of paradigm reference studio 60s for $275 and two amps made by carver ..TFM-35 and TFM-15 With a preamp CT27v .. the 35 powered up with all working lamps,but no audio.im looking to send it to a place called hi tech in Gresham Oregon.. the tfm 15 is mint like it was just removed from box.. so I set the system up with the tfm 15 running the paradigm,Sounds great by the way. Now I'm at a loss how to add the tfm 35 when I get it back ..any advice how to add it in with the tfm 15 on the same speakers or should I just use the 35 to power another set of speakers? .. I was looking at a pair of cerwin vega At 15 or Ls 15 but I can't decide .please tell me what you think thank you
 
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The Paradigm speakers can be bi-amped since there are separate terminals. Ideally, you'd use identical amplifiers to match output but the TFM-35 does have a gain control which would allow you to control that.

I'd certainly try using both in that fashion and the 35 by itself. Bi-amping certainly offers advantages.
 
The Paradigm speakers can be bi-amped since there are separate terminals. Ideally, you'd use identical amplifiers to match output but the TFM-35 does have a gain control which would allow you to control that.

I'd certainly try using both in that fashion and the 35 by itself. Bi-amping certainly offers advantages.


I have a second tfm 15 but it needs to be reconditioned.. so many projects,so little cash flow and there's the wife issue.hahahaha question is would I need anything else to bi amp the paradigm? Say I use the tfm15s for the driver and the tfm35 for mids and highs or Vice versa ? Thanks again for input
 
Great price on the Paradigms, I prefer to keep things simple and just use 1 amp in stereo but if I had to I would rather use two identical amps in any type of biamp setup, I'd go nuts trying to match levels on two slightly mismatched amps .
 
I have a second tfm 15 but it needs to be reconditioned.. so many projects,so little cash flow and there's the wife issue.hahahaha question is would I need anything else to bi amp the paradigm? Say I use the tfm15s for the driver and the tfm35 for mids and highs or Vice versa ? Thanks again for input
I would definitely use the more powerful amp for the woofers. The amps would be delivering a full range signal, but the internal crossover should do all the work. Remove the jumpers and drive each section separately.

The gain control would also serve as a kind of bass control from 500 hz downwards. :)
 
I would definitely use the more powerful amp for the woofers. The amps would be delivering a full range signal, but the internal crossover should do all the work. Remove the jumpers and drive each section separately.

The gain control would also serve as a kind of bass control from 500 hz downwards. :)
.

How would I run the rca ... I mean I have outputs on preamp for front,rear,center and subwoofer .. but only one set of inputs on each amp..all the amps would have to get signals.. sorry if I'm missing something .. thanks again for your advice
 
. How would I run the rca ... I mean I have outputs on preamp for front,rear,center and subwoofer .. but only one set of inputs on each amp..all the amps would have to get signals.. sorry if I'm missing something .. thanks again for your advice
Understand bi-amping would use two amplifiers for a single set of speakers - in the case of 5.1 system most likely the mains. You would need to use a Y-adapter from the fronts to send the same output to both amplifiers.

Some stereo preamps like mine have dual outputs.
 
Understand bi-amping would use two amplifiers for a single set of speakers - in the case of 5.1 system most likely the mains. You would need to use a Y-adapter from the fronts to send the same output to both amplifiers.

Some stereo preamps like mine have dual outputs.
... I gotcha that's where I was stuck.. so I'm in need of a y adapter to split the output from preamp to the two amps and so I understand this correctly.. I can use the tfm 15 for the highs and mids and the tfm 35 for drivers ? You have been of great help and I appreciate it .. thank you
 
... I gotcha that's where I was stuck.. so I'm in need of a y adapter to split the output from preamp to the two amps and so I understand this correctly..
Yup. The only *challenge* is that the input impedance drops in half when run in parallel - the amps are already a lowish 30k ohm so it would present a 15k ohm load to the preamp. Some preamps have difficulty with that.

I can use the tfm 15 for the highs and mids and the tfm 35 for drivers ? You have been of great help and I appreciate it .. thank you
Well, they're all drivers - just drive the woofers with the 35 and the tweeter and midrange drivers with the 15.
 
Probably explains why my first pair of speakers , Paradigm Monitor 5's never sounded as good as in the store . . . . More power needed.
 
Yup. The only *challenge* is that the input impedance drops in half when run in parallel - the amps are already a lowish 30k ohm so it would present a 15k ohm load to the preamp. Some preamps have difficulty with that.


With that said .. I thinking of getting a different preamp .. saw a NAD 1700 on that auction site .. would that be a better preamp then my carver CT27V?
 
I can't reasonably say since I'm not familiar with the Carver unit - although I have owned a number of NAD components including a T763 HT receiver, C-162 preamp and C326 BEE integrated - I find their voicing quite natural.
 
Since you have Carver amps I would get a Carver C1 or C11 preamp. It also has dual outputs so you would be all set for biamping. Check over at "TheCarverSite" for info on the Carver preamps. The C1 and C11 are pretty special as is and can become world class performers with the BillD mods done to it. I use a modded C11 in my solid state system and a stock C11 in my tube system. Couldn't be happier.

BillWojo
 
If I were in your shoes, I'd bi-wire the Paradigms with the 15, and use the 35 for something else entirely. The man-cave system, perhaps?
 
If I were in your shoes, I'd bi-wire the Paradigms with the 15, and use the 35 for something else entirely. The man-cave system, perhaps?


I read that really doesn't make a difference.. I was wondering if I wired the speaker A channel to the tweeters and mid range and wire the woofers to speaker B channel .. would that tax the amp or make difference?
 
The times I have tried to bi-wire, I found the so-called improvements not worth talking about. They also call it 'buy-wire' for a reason.

Also, as I understand it, the TFM35 is rated for 250wpc into 8 ohms. That isn't enough power for you?
 
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Now that I think of it the Studio 60 is a 2 and 1/2 way system. I think the top woofer on the 60's runs the same low frequencies as the bottom woofer except its crossed over higher at 1.5k or so while the bottom woofer only runs to 400 hz. I think the 2 woofers run off the same binding posts and the tweeter runs alone of the other set of posts. I think the amps would need to be matched very close to keep the tweeter inline with the midrange output of the top woofer. You won't be able to use the level controls of the TFM-35 to adjust the balance of the bass below 400 hz.

The 60's will certainly benefit from lots of power...I heard the V1's long ago with both Bryston 3b and 4b amps and thought the bass sounded tighter and better controlled with less bloat on the 4b. Try to get that big Carver fixed and use it.
 
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Now that I think of it the Studio 60 is a 2 and 1/2 way system. I think the top woofer on the 60's runs the same low frequencies as the bottom woofer except its crossed over higher at 1.5k or so while the bottom woofer only runs to 400 hz. I think the 2 woofers run off the same binding posts and the tweeter runs alone of the other set of posts. I think the amps would need to be matched very close to keep the tweeter inline with the midrange output of the top woofer. You won't be able to use the level controls of the TFM-35 to adjust the balance of the bass below 400 hz.

The 60's will certainly benefit from lots of power...I heard the V1's long ago with both Bryston 3b and 4b amps and thought the bass sounded tighter and better controlled with less bloat on the 4b. Try to get that big Carver fixed and use


I think I'll do what you suggested.. the carver tfm35 is in the hand of Roland of hi-tech in Gresham Oregon for a chassis refresh
 
I think I'll do what you suggested.. the carver tfm35 is in the hand of Roland of hi-tech in Gresham Oregon for a chassis refresh

It wouldn't hurt to try bi-amping and hope for an acceptable match, if not I think the TFM-35 should be more than up to the task on its own.

If you do run a single amp I'd run one set of wires with a decent set of jumper wires and lose the cheap metal strips that come with the speakers.
 
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Good morning.. I'm new to the world audiophile..thanks for adding me.. I've ran into a few good finds and I decided to put together something that's ok I'm guessing.. so I'll tell you what I have and hopefully you fine people can give me some suggestions. I recently bought a pair of paradigm reference studio 60s for $275 and two amps made by carver ..TFM-35 and TFM-15 With a preamp CT27v .. the 35 powered up with all working lamps,but no audio.im looking to send it to a place called hi tech in Gresham Oregon.. the tfm 15 is mint like it was just removed from box.. so I set the system up with the tfm 15 running the paradigm,Sounds great by the way. Now I'm at a loss how to add the tfm 35 when I get it back ..any advice how to add it in with the tfm 15 on the same speakers or should I just use the 35 to power another set of speakers? .. I was looking at a pair of cerwin vega At 15 or Ls 15 but I can't decide .please tell me what you think thank you
 
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