Paradigm Persona 5F and 7F vs Salon 2s

[Bifwynne]

I had my Salon 2’s with REF250’s and it was awesome. REF150 should be fine so long as you don’t push it too hard.


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Mike, do you think my ARC Ref 150SE would do a better job with the Studio2 speakers??

BTW, how do you think the Studio 2s would compare to the Paradigm S8 (v3). As mentioned, the S8s have BE tweeters, just like the Salon 2s and the Studio 2s. I read a Stereophile review of the Studio 2s and noted that their sensitivity is 89db. My S8s have a 92db sensitivity and play quite loud without strain if pushed.

BIF​

BIF

 

[Mike]

Mike, do you think my ARC Ref 150SE would do a better job with the Studio2 speakers??

BTW, how do you think the Studio 2s would compare to the Paradigm S8 (v3). As mentioned, the S8s have BE tweeters, just like the Salon 2s and the Studio 2s. I read a Stereophile review of the Studio 2s and noted that their sensitivity is 89db. My S8s have a 92db sensitivity and play quite loud without strain if pushed.

BIF​

BIF

I think the REF 150SE would have no issues with the Studio 2’s. I also owned those. They seemed much easier to drive than the Salon 2’s.

I think the Studio 2 is a much better speaker, especially in the tweeter, than the Paradigm S8 (v3). I cannot think of two speakers with more polar opposite sounding tweeters. The Studio 2/Salon 2 with one of the best in the business still today.

 

[steve59]

Did you guys hear those tiny ICE amps driving the salon 2's at axpona? It made me think twice about selling mine.

 

[Mike]

Did you guys hear those tiny ICE amps driving the salon 2's at axpona? It made me think twice about selling mine.

I did, but didn’t love it and I like the Salon 2’s a lot.


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[steve59]

The choice of music was only to prove a pair of amps barely larger than a couple slices of bread could move some air. I agree with you

 

[jonfitch]

The choice of music was only to prove a pair of amps barely larger than a couple slices of bread could move some air. I agree with you

Revel uses cheap Crown amps to test drive their speakers, so I'm not surprised ICE amps can drive their speakers.

 

[steve59]

Revel uses cheap Crown amps to test drive their speakers, so I'm not surprised ICE amps can drive their speakers.

Have you been in the Harman listening room and seen this? The demo's I've seen showed Mark Levinson amps driving salons. I wonder which speaker has the higher ceiling? salon 2 or -persona 7f.

 

[pdub]

Have you been in the Harman listening room and seen this? The demo's I've seen showed Mark Levinson amps driving salons. I wonder which speaker has the higher ceiling? salon 2 or -persona 7f.

My Salon2s have never glossed over system changes, whether preamp, amp, source, PSU or cables. I would assume this means, as RH suggested in his review several years back, “quality in/quality out” with the Revels, and the sky’s the limit.

Parker

 

[steve59]

Having owned the salon 2's myself I have nothing bad to say about them. Their design is 12 tears old now and I do wonder if the persona drivers tech has any advantages.

 

[smodtactical]

I got the sig s8 v2s, and want an upgrade. The Salon 2s, Persona 7Fs and magico A3s are all in the same ballpark of price plus or minus a few grand (based on the deals I can get). Its a tough choice. Used scala v2s often pop up in this price bracket also (10-15k).

 

[LVB]

Not so tough, unless you have some serious high freq. hearing loss (I am kidding, but not really).

 

[Mike]

Not so tough, unless you have some serious high freq. hearing loss (I am kidding, but not really).

LOL. Agreed.


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[ahofer]

As to your question, one speaker has a gorgeous smooth tweeter. The other two will rip your ear off.

I heard the 3F, and that was *definitely* my experience. Measurements show the tipped-up high end.

 

[Audio 1]

The first time I listened to the Persona’s at a show I could not get out of the room fast enough! Too bright for my personal preference. I did experience them on a different occasion and the presentation was better, but still not the balance I desire.

 

[GSOphile]

Anybody heard the new Vimberg Tonda?

 

[Mr Peabody]

I'm not sure the model I heard at Axpona, they were excellent. They certainly have the beautiful Tidal traits in sound character.

If I were a wealthy man I'd buy a Tidal system just to sit and listen to piano.

Anybody heard the new Vimberg Tonda?

 

[p59teitel]

Haven't heard the Personas, but when I was speaker hunting back in 2011 I did check out the Paradigm S8s. Way too tipped up for me.

That same day I heard the Salon 2s, and soon afterward pounced when a barely used pair showed up for less than half price. They've been here ever since.

 

[steve59]

I gave the 7f another listen last weekend. Anthem str separates with initially an aim dac. I streamed about 20 songs. I never really got the best from my salons in regards to locking in the bass and Possibly for the same reason I never got a decent sound stage, two things the 7f had in spades. Detailed with a really deep sound stage I was really enjoying the session I never heard any of the bright, harsh, or sibilant sound I read so many complaints about although in that room I thought there was more air around the artists than natural it did lead to impressive resolution. I would say that room that day on that gear the replay was a little dry compared to what I use at home. If there was a pair of 7f along side the salon2 for the same dime It wouldn’t be a slam dunk

 

[Mike]

Steve, I always thought the Salon 2’s needed subs. I remember when I first got my pair, put 500 hours on them, and called Harman freaking out that they were broken. There was literally NO BASS. They were also shutting down my Mc 2301’s. Those speakers need MASSIVE power (start at 750 watts/channel). I added two subs and voila!


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[steve59]

BUMP: I brought home the persona 7f a couple weeks ago and can now say i've owned both salon 2 and 7f with same components in the same room. I'm always over the moon with a new pair of speakers, initially as is the case here. I can say the hegel has more than enough power to drive these, unlike the salon 2. the woofers woof, good thing. The speakers in these price groups, the ones I've been able to spend time with are probably all good enough to build a system around and dropping in a +/- $20k pair of speakers into a modest audiophile system is pot luck, right? The salon 2's sounded detailed but lacked the foundation for a believable soundstage because my amp couldn't push the woofers isn't fair to the speakers. that said the persona's don't need as much raw power to sound balanced and deliver a 3d soundstage. the midrange with the hegel is more clinical than musical which is awesome for average listening levels, peaks below 90db, but I prefer the pathos integrated for louder listening to my 70's rock. The pathos is more musical the hegel more neutral. I'll borrow the dealers pathos next weekend and see if these persona's sound as good in my room as they did at the shop. It would be a first for a passive speaker.