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REVIEW: Paradigm Signature S4, v.2 Speakers

124.168.195.147


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Model: Signature S4, v.2
Category: Speakers
Suggested Retail Price: $2600 (Cherry finish)
Description: 2 1/2 way bookshelf
Manufacturer URL: Paradigm

Review by sterlo on February 17, 2010 at 02:53:46
IP Address: 124.168.195.147
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for the Signature S4, v.2


Just purchased these a few weeks ago after auditioning a number of other bookshelf speakers including Paradigm's own Signature S2(v2), Dynaudio Confidence C1 and Dynaudio S1.4.

I came across the Paradigm Signature S4 (V2's) after an experience with the less expensive Signature S2's. I heard the S2's at my local dealer and thought they were fantastic. I persuaded the dealer to let me bring them home for a night. They surpassed my expectations with their natural sound, musicality, and neutrality.

If it wasn't for the fact my new speakers needed some bass heft (as I will be using them as the main channels of my home theater system), I probably would have purchased the S2 instead of the S4. I had a chance to audition the S2 and S4 side by side at the same dealer. If pressed, I would say that I ultimately prefered the sound of the less expensive S2 - there is something magic about that speaker. The S4, next to the S2, sounded every bit as good in the mids and highs and the bass on the S4 went deeper too. Again though, there was a certain magic in the S2 that I can't put my finger on, that in some respects the S4 does not possess. Maybe Paradigm just got it so right with the smaller bookshelf that it was just one of those things..

Anyway, I have the S4 in my loungeroom now and am enjoying it immensely. As noted above, tonally I could barely tell any difference between the S2 and S4 side by side but, the S4 went considerably deeper with more heft in the bass than the S2.

I knew for my home theater/2 channel combined usage, that the S4 would be the best fit. If I was purchasing a 2 channel music system only, I would have bought the S2. Although the S2 doesn't go as deep in the bass as the S4, this is actually a virtue of the S2 as the S2 sounds very fast with slamming bass. In my small (16x11) room, I never found the S2 wanting in the bass for music. It just sounded natural and balanced.

For home theater though, which requires a good 30-40hz speaker in the main channels in my humble opinion, I knew the S4 would be the better match for my needs. I also have a subwoofer that I can run off these and I knew given the deeper bass of the S4, there would be a more seamless match with a subwoofer.

Anyway, onto the specifics of the S4 and what I love about it.

Neutrality: This is the first thought that comes to mind when listening to this speaker (and the S2 as well.) It's almost like the speakers just get out of the way and let the quality and fun of the music shine through. This is quite a trait.

I thought the ultimate bookshelf speaker I'd heard for neutrality was the old Dynaudio Contour 1.3Mkii. Well, I would confidently say the Paradigm Signature S2's and S4's have that little Dyn beat in the neutrality department, and that's saying something as the 1.3Mkii was one of the most neutral speakers out there. I would also make this comment in comparison to the newer S1.4 Contour Dynaudio's as well.. While on the subject of Dyn's, I also auditioned the Confidence C1 and well, given its reputation as one of the greatest bookshelf speakers ever, I was expecting more. It's bass for one was simply beyond a joke. It may have been the room. Nonetheless, the bass was so powerful it was well beyond the point of distraction. I just couldn't listen to the music as the bass was driving me nuts. It wasn't boomy but just overbearing and out of balance with the rest of the spectrum. Again, just my thoughts on the day and it may have had something to do with the room which was not that large..

Anyway back to the Paradigm S4..

Treble/Mids: Again, this is where I'd typically use the words smooth/rolled off/too bright/harsh, etc etc. All I can of the S4 (and S2) in this regard is.... again that word, neutral. The treble and mids are just 'right', and as they should sound as per the CD. Not bright... not smooth.. just spot on correct.

Bass: When I heard these at my dealer it was via a (not good enough for the speaker) inexpensive Denon integrated, the bass was really boomy and messy. (My local Paradigm dealer does their speakers no favours.. sheesh.) In my home on my Proceed BPA-3, what a difference. Not even the same speaker in the bass department. Punchy, fast, everything you'd want. Well... not quite everything...: As we all know when you want the imaging and resolution of a nice minimonitor/bookshelf, you can't have everything, and the price to pay for that is the bass, as compared to a floorstander. The bass won't compete with a big floorstander that's for sure. Still though, in my fairly small room (with use of boundaries) the bass is more than sufficient.. I would estimate it as strong to around 45hz, with useful bass to probably just under 40hz. Still very impressive and one of the best bass-performing bookshelf speakers out there IMO. With bass heavy rock/dance material, this speaker really kicks, and sounds like a very good midsize floorstander in the bass dept (just not like a BIG floorstander though in the bass dept!) Still though, in my 16x11 room, I'd rather have the imaging of a bookshelf anyway.. Big speakers in my room have just never worked and the imaging/bass is always messed up.

Finally..

Value: At $2600 this is quite simply an amazing speaker in terms of value. I think the smaller Paradigm S2 is probably the king of small speaker value. It is a no-brainer at its price. But, the S4 isn't far behind.. In the S4 you get a monitor speaker with resolution equivalent to the best monitors available, as well as great bass equivalent to a small floorstander.. Add a good 'value' sub to this equation at a few hundreds dollars (think HSU or SVS) and you've got a killer full range setup speaker rivalling speakers far more expensive. My last speakers were Sonus Fabers, and as part of my auditioning process I listened to the Cremona Auditor M's.. They were quite good but, again, only quite good.. I actually prefered the Paradigm's in every single respect. At 4.5K or 5K for the Cremona Auditor I now realise what Paradigm have achieved with their Signature series in terms of value for money. I haven't heard the more expensive Signature S6 or S8 but if the concept of value in this Signature series is held true for the S6/8 like the S4, I have no doubt they would be similarly excellent in this respect.

One last tip - tweeter height. I heard the S2 in my home on a too-tall stand (it was the V1 Paradigm by the way, which impacts on my next sentence as the tweeter is different from the V2's..) On a stand that is too high, the S2 was very very harsh. Again, the S2 I heard in my home was the V1 version which I have heard some people say can be bright. BUT, when I moved that same S2 V1 to a stand that was at my ear level.. aah.. beautiful. The S4 (V2) holds exactly the same. Make sure you do your homework - go to your dealer and measure the S2 and S4 - measure the height of the tweeter on stands, tweeter height from the ground, etc etc.. Then make sure the stand you get puts the tweeter as close as possible to your ear height. You'll be rewarded with that neutrality, 'rightness' of sound in the tweeter and mids that I refer to above. Extreme deviations (ie a stand that puts the tweeter far too high) can, in my experience with this speaker, lead to a bright and harsh sound.

I think that's about it! In short if you're looking at a bookshelf/monitor speaker in this pricerange, the S2 and S4 are must-auditions. They're the sort of speakers you can fall in love with (the S2 particularly is really something special; the no-brainer purchase at its price IMO.)

Cheers and happy listening!


Product Weakness: None in my book. If you had to be picky, the depth of the bass I suppose. But, only in comparison to similarly priced floorstanders. But, let's be fair here - this is a bookshelf speaker. Its bass is outstanding for its purpose (that being of a bookshelf speaker). It won't reach as low as a comparably priced floorstander. But, you won't get the resolution/musicality/imaging of this speaker in a floorstander for this kind of money. I'll take the wonderful resolution and musicality of the S4 and add a sub to get the 20-40hz bass anyday, as opposed to a floorstander compromised in the mids and highs. Also - the somewhat mid-fi reputation of the Paradigm brand in comparison to others. My advice to you in this regard is just get over it and try the Signatures. As I said I owned Sonus Fabers before this and the Paradigm S4's better them in every single area. Translation - Don't let brand names determine your judgement. Use your ears.
Product Strengths: Neutral neutral neutral. Just gets out of the way and lets the music shine through. Tonally neutral across the whole tone spectrum as well (treble/mids/bass). Fast bass. In fact, a fast speaker overall. Keeps up with fast music and fast basslines and does not lag whatsoever like some other speakers do. Musically very involving and moving.


Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Proceed BPA-3 amplifier
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Meridian 568.2mm
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Meridian 598
Speakers: Paradigm Signature S4 (v2)
Cables/Interconnects: Tara 0.8 Digital, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse interconnects, Wireworld Silver Eclipse 5.2 speaker cabling
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Rock, Pop, Dance, Jazz, Classical (yeah.. I listen to everything)
Room Size (LxWxH): 16 x 11 x 9
Room Comments/Treatments: Makeshift egg-crate foam mattresses on side/rear walls behind speakers :)
Time Period/Length of Audition: 2 days (maybe yet to fully break in :)
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Atacama SL400 speaker stands (50/50 leadshot/sand mix), Black Diamond Racing 'The Shelf(s)', Pucks, Cones, etc.
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Paradigm Signature S4, v.2 Speakers - Sterlo 02:53:46 02/17/10 ( 6)