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Paradigm Studio 60 V4 vs. NHT 2.5i...upgrade??

dsd-7

dsd-7

AK Subscriber
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Hi, I am thinking of buying a pair of Paradigm Studio 60 V4 speakers locally. They would be replacing my NHT 2.5i speakers in my small listening room. These speakers are strictly for music. I have never listened to ANY Paradigm speakers before, so I am ignorant as to how they would compare to my NHT's. Do you guys think the Paradigm speakers would be a worthwhile/significant upgrade for me? I don't want to side-step. I would have to drive a few hours to audition them and would love to hear opinions here first.

FYI, I am driving the NHT's bi-amped...
Hi's/Mids: Mcintosh 2105 amp/C29 preamp
Low's: NHT SA2 subwoofer amp
 
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I've heard the Paradigms and they are outstanding. I have the older Studio 60 v2s and love them. I definitely preferred them over the comparable NHTs at the time. I haven't heard your NHTs so can't really compare them. Regardless they are both good speakers and will likely both have fans.
 
Well, I've owned the smaller Paradigms and NHTs, and currently still own a bunch of the NHTs. It's a tough call as personal preference starts to weigh in here.

Not much help, I know, but it just goes to show that oth can be great, and it may come down to personal preference.
 
Paradigm Monitor 9 owner here, and they are stellar, but I can't compare them to NHT as I have never heard them.

There are naysayers that will brush off Paradigms as a substandard 'Best Buy'-type speaker that can't compare to Klipsch or others, but I am a firm believer that Paradigms will be become more sought after as they are an incredible sounding speaker for the money. The used market in Ontario is flooded with Paradigms and you can find great deals out there.
 
I guess I don't understand what makes you ask this if you have not even listened to Paradigm yet?
Is there something missing from the NHT or did someone suggest this would be a step up?

Also if you want to take the NHT up a notch too look for a better sub amplifier maybe.The SA-2 is great for what it is but it is not really up to the level of the rest of your electronics.

Another thing is that the 2,5 were not a real pricey speaker in the first place and if you like the NHT sound maybe look for some 2.9s which would be a major step up.

Ed
 
I've heard the 60's v1 and v2. V2's were much better, but the nht 2.5 is also very good. Thinking its more sideways than forward. It's like trading a Accord for a Camry. Save for a while and aim higher.
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. I was asking about the Paradigm's because they are for sale locally for $900. It seems the consensus is good on these speakers. I am happy with my NHT's but have upgrade-itus I guess haha! I can't help wanting to know what else is out there...especially locally. Its a disease :sigh: As Mikey just said above, I feel that they may be too close in performance to purchase. I will keep saving for something better. One member mentioned the 2.9's. Those or the 3.3's would be awesome! I haven't made the jump to those due to my listening room being so small (14'x7').
 
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I can't compare the speakers, but I can guarantee you that the NHTs in question are several generations behind in terms of technology. Newer speakers like the Paradigms or present-generation NHTs are a big step forwards in motor design and construction.

$900 seems like a pretty good price, too.

The only possible compromise is the lack of great big woofers. Separating the low frequencies - say, below 50hz - can do wonders for almost any speaker. You can add a sub or two easily enough, though.
 
I've had both, though not at the same time. The Paradigms are far superior in pretty much every way.

Edit: Subjective audio jargon aside, some tangible benefits of the paradigms are: their efficiency (which is much higher than that of the NHT's), their effective sound stage which is much wider (probably due to their front facing baffles), and their appearance, which as my wife says, is "more pretty, less Miami vice".
 
tchuck said:
I've had both, though not at the same time. The Paradigms are far superior in pretty much every way.

Edit: Subjective audio jargon aside, some tangible benefits of the paradigms are: their efficiency (which is much higher than that of the NHT's), their effective sound stage which is much wider (probably due to their front facing baffles), and their appearance, which as my wife says, is "more pretty, less Miami vice".
Click to expand...

Thanks for your detailed post. Now you have me thinking again haha! Its nice to speak with people who have owned both speakers in question. I appreciate your comparison. I did notice the increase in efficiency, which would definitely help with my 105w Mac amp. Did the Paradigms have the lows covered as well as the NHT's? The NHT's use a 8" woofer vs the Paradigm's 7". My only complaint with my NHT's is the upper/mid bass or absence thereof. 60hzish and below is great though. My wife loves the NHT's for their "smoothness". She and I both love a smooth speaker compared to critical/detailed voiced speakers/electronics. Are the Paradigm's voiced similar to the NHT's?
 
If you like NHT's, you owe it to yourself to give the Classic 4's a listen. They are an amazing value for a full-range speaker. They are easy on the eyes, won't dominate the room, and perform well above their price point. Its one of those speakers I could easily be content with.
 
Spasticteapot said:
I can't compare the speakers, but I can guarantee you that the NHTs in question are several generations behind in terms of technology. Newer speakers like the Paradigms or present-generation NHTs are a big step forwards in motor design and construction.

$900 seems like a pretty good price, too.

The only possible compromise is the lack of great big woofers. Separating the low frequencies - say, below 50hz - can do wonders for almost any speaker. You can add a sub or two easily enough, though.
Click to expand...

$900 might not be bad considering what they go for new, but the Monitor line sound excellent too and can be had for much less. In retrospect though, you are not shopping for Monitors, so that's a pretty dumb thing to point out.

I can't imagine needing the sub though. The Paradigms already pack a punch, and I would think that a sub would just cloud things up, but who knows... :scratch2: I was actually amazed at the low range when I first bought them because of the smaller drivers, but yeah... amazing.
 
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dsd-7 said:
Thanks for your detailed post. Now you have me thinking again haha! Its nice to speak with people who have owned both speakers in question. I appreciate your comparison. I did notice the increase in efficiency, which would definitely help with my 105w Mac amp. Did the Paradigms have the lows covered as well as the NHT's? The NHT's use a 8" woofer vs the Paradigm's 7". My only complaint with my NHT's is the upper/mid bass or absence thereof. 60hzish and below is great though. My wife loves the NHT's for their "smoothness". She and I both love a smooth speaker compared to critical/detailed voiced speakers/electronics. Are the Paradigm's voiced similar to the NHT's?
Click to expand...

You know what? I'm totally wrong. When you said 8" woofer I pulled my head out of my behind and pulled up a pic of my old NHT's. Turns out they were the 2.3a, not 2.5i. Sorry, I had a memory lapse... :(

A quick Google search reveals the 2.5i to be quite a bit better than the 2.3a, so my original comparison, cool as it may have been, is in reality pretty useless to you. I will say though, that the Paradigms are extremely smooth and easy to hear for hours on end. They are more balanced that my NHT's were (less bottom heavy, specifically) and are just plain better in every way. In terms of voicing - I can't tell you because of how many years separated my ownership of the two. I didn't notice them to be particularly different in that respect, but as I said before I also didn't have them in the same room at the same time. Same room and same amp though...

In summary: Life is short. DO IT!
 
I've never owned Paradigms but have owned many NHT's: 1.5, 2.5i, superzeros, superones and 2.9's which I still own. The 2.5i's are great speakers and punch well above their price range. 2.9's extended the bass to the next level. If you like the NHT sound the 2.9's are a nice upgrade but they're big and heavy. The 3.3's are just huge monsters.
 
Wow, $600 is a great price for NHT 2.9's! Thanks for correcting your post regarding the NHT 2.3a's TChuck. I do indeed like the NHT house sound. I am thinking about those 2.9's. If my room was bigger, I would probably pull the trigger. I'm guessing they would be as good of a speaker as the Paradigm Studio 60 v4's?? I know they would be different for sure. Guess it all comes down to Paradigm vs NHT "house sound" preference. Its been said that Paradigms are bright...but it's also been said they are smooth. Man I need to listen to these.

The SA-2 has been mentioned as mediocre, and I can't disagree with that. I sometimes pull it out of my system and run the 2.5i's directly from the Mcintosh 2105/C29 combo. I only use the SA-2 for bass control. It is definitely the weak link in my electronics and isn't always used. I can't make my mind up which way I prefer, so I bounce back and forth with it haha!
 
The 2.9 is nowhere near as huge and obscene as the 3.3 (unfortunately maybe?)and not too much bigger in footprint than the 2.5 really.

I had 2.9s for a long time and they are amazing for the money at that price.

Ed
 
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