Paradigm Monitor Series 7 5-Channel Speaker System (TPV 109)

Gateway to the High-End

But this is not to suggest that the Monitors cannot deliver crisp transient response or sonic fireworks when the music demands them, because in fact they can and do. For proof of this, just put on the remastered, multichannel recording of Pink Floyd’s iconic Dark Side of the Money [Capitol, multichannel SACD], put on the track “Time” and hit PLAY. The Monitors do a wonderful job with the intricate clockwork noises and the sound of alarm chimes and gongs with which the song opens, sounding (according to my notes) at once “detailed and yet also very subtle—not edgy, brash, or prone to sonic overstatement.” Then, as the body of the song unfolds, I wrote that “the Monitors catch the soaring, dreamy quality of the mix,” thanks in part to surround imaging that “is spectacular.” If you know how the traditional stereo mix of Dark Side of the Moon sounds, then you might find it interesting to note that Pink Floyd (a band in so many ways ahead of its time) had envisioned capturing their material in surround sound, which is in fact how they performed many of these songs in their live concerts. Bass, I felt, was “authoritative” throughout, so that I really could not see how adding a sub would have improved the presentation.

The Monitors did such a good job with this very revealing, detail-rich album that I couldn’t resist listening to it multiple times through the Monitors, using various surround sound source components. Sure enough, I found the Monitors could “easily show difference between source components”—not something all affordable priced surround systems could do as effectively as the Monitor system did.

CONCLUSION

Consider this speaker system if:

• You like the idea of getting much, though not quite all, of the performance (and underlying technology) of Paradigm’s higher-level Reference Studio-series speakers, but at a considerably lower price.

• You want an affordable, yet highly capable do-all system that offers good resolution and imaging, full-range frequency response, and plenty of dynamic clout.

• You like a moderately large (but not imposingly large), conventionally-styled speaker system that is well-finished, though in an understated way.

Look further if:

• You want to push for even higher levels of resolution and detail than the Monitor system can provide: these qualities can be yours for the asking—if you’re willing to invest a good bit more money.

• You have a moderate-to-small listening space, in which case you might find Paradigm’s compact Reference MilleniaOne sat/sub system a better solution.

• You want speakers with real wood veneer or lacquer-finished cabinets.

Ratings (relative to comparably priced surround systems):

• Transparency and focus: 8.5
• Imaging and soundstaging: 9
• Tonal balance: 9
• Dynamics: 9.5
• Bass extension: 9
• Bass pitch definition: 8.5
• Bass dynamics: 9.5
• Value: 9

BOTTOM LINE

Paradigm’s Monitor Series 7 system offers a well-balanced mix of virtues while upholding the model line’s hard won reputation for value-first engineering. This system might serve as a “gateway to the high-end” for some listeners, but it is good enough that it will be a satisfying destination in its own right for many others.

SPECS & PRICING

Paradigm Monitor Series 7 5-Channel Speaker System

Paradigm Monitor 11 Series 7 Floorstanding Speaker
Type: three-way, 5-driver, bass-reflex floorstanding loudspeaker
Driver complement: one 1-inch PAL (pure aluminum) dome tweeter with ferro-fluid cooling/damping, one 5 ½-inch SPAL (satin-anodized pure aluminum) midrange driver, three 6 ½-inch carbon-infused bass drivers.
Frequency response: 42Hz -22 kHz ± 2dB, low frequency extension to 30Hz
Sensitivity: 93 dB
Impedance: Compatible with 8 Ohms
Dimensions (H x W x D): 41.375” x 7.875” x 13.5”
Weight: 55.3 lb. /each
Warranty: 5 year, parts and labor
Price: $1598/pair.

Paradigm Monitor Center 3 Series 7 Center-Channel Speaker
Type: three-way, 4-driver, center-channel loudspeaker
Driver complement: one 1-inch PAL (pure aluminum) dome tweeter with ferro-fluid cooling/damping, one 4 ½-inch SPAL (satin-anodized pure aluminum) midrange driver, two 6 ½-inch carbon-infused bass drivers.
Frequency response: 66Hz -22 kHz ± 2dB, low frequency extension to 46Hz
Sensitivity: 93 dB
Impedance: Compatible with 8 Ohms
Dimensions (H x W x D): 7.875” x 21.125” x 11.75”
Weight: 28.5 lb. /each
Warranty: 5 year, parts and labor
Price: $599/each.