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Hi guys.I originally posted this question about a year ago, but didn't get around to doing anything about my situation until now. I thought I would repost it now and get some fresh input.
I currently own a pair of Studio 80s in black ash veneer. They are a perfect match for my electronics & I LOVE the sound of them. The one drawback is that they are a bit too physically big for my room & make the room feel and look cluttered. I was considering trading down to a pair of Studio 60s. Any thoughts on how much sound quality I'll be sacrificing? How are the 60s compared to the 80s at higher listening levels? Opinions on whether I should do it or not? I use them 50-50 for music and home theater & have a Paradigm reference Servo 15 subwoofer in the system.
Thanks,
Rob
Follow Ups:
The 60 and the 80 are very different speakers. To me, the 60's have the edge in transparency, as the 80's have a high crossover point in relationship to the large bass drivers. If you like the mellow sound of the 80's, the 60's will not deliver what you want. You might want to check out Phase tech's new floorstanding speaker or a modestly priced set of B&W's. The 80's, in my humble opinion were set up to be warm and mellow. With a servo 15 you need not worry about that pesky lower octave, so if you prefer a bit more forward sounding speaker, the 60's might do the trick. I heard the 60's on a MC122 amp and they sounded great, but if you like Paradigm's studio 80's then all I can say is that they will not sound the same as the 80's. If you listen to the 60's and like them, why not check out the 40's, as the are smaller and use the same drivers, and like I mentioned before, with a servo 15 you will have the bass you need and still maintain an uncluttered room.
Thanks for your response, it was very informative.I managed to a/b a set of 60's and 80's at local high end store. The electronics they used were a tad beneath my system but since the same components were used for both sets of speakers, it provided for a fair comparison.
Like you, I found the 60's to be excellent speakers, albeit with a more forward sound than the eighties, and a tad less of what I would call "fullness" to their overall sound. Nonetheless, as you suggested, they were really comparable to the 80's in the areas that matter in my situation, namely the upper and midrange, as my bass is handled by the Servo-15. I was actually pleased to discover that the 60's had marginally better imaging and placement of the instruments than the 80's. I chose The Doors' Strange Days as one of my test cd's, as I know the album perhaps better than any rock album in my collection. The 60's beautifully separated the instruments from one another and placed Morrison front and center with the drums behind him and the guitar and keyboards nicely flanking - quite a beautiful experience on tracks like Moonlight Drive and My Eyes Have Seen You.
Anyway, thanks to your input and my audition, I think I will swap for the 60's. My speaker placement is unfortunately compromised by close side walls which tended to over-emphasize the bass anyway, so having less bassy fronts and rolling more off to the sub might actually sound that much better in my room. Thanks again for the tips!
Cheers,
Rob
Well I am glad I could help you in the quest for great sound. I am a big Paradigm fan, as if you look in the inmate systems you will see.
Take a look at the comments on another thread comparing the Studio 100 to the Studio 60.
Be sure to test 60s in your system first before you jump.I opted for 60s over 80s last year because of size, but there was no doubt,to my ear, that the 80s beat out the 60s in sound stage at the dealer. Others may tell you different. Also, at the dealer the 80s may have just been more broken in. The 60s do fine, but I have a pretty big room and I keep wondering just how much better my sound could be. The great thing for you is that it is much easier to borrow some 60s for home testing than to drag some 80s home.
Good luck
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