Paradigm Reference LCR - 350 Center Channels Reviews

Price Paid:  $350.00 from Hifi 2000

Summary:
Well I bought 3 of them for the fronts and was pleased for the money. They are good for beginners interested in hometheater. But for music they lack highs, have a weak tweeter. I compared them to the kefs and the LCRS sounded dead. Anywayz there more suited for hometheater use.

System:
Marantz Sr7000
Toshiba 65h80
LCR 350 for all 3 fronts
rears atoms.
pioneer cd player.

Strengths:
Solid build, good mids and soundstage

Weaknesses:
lack of highs.

Similar Products Used:
Kefs, bose

Price Paid:  $220.00 from World Exchange

Summary:
Why would I bother to post a review? Because these speakers have been so good to me. They've been straight-up fantastic on any source material I've thrown at them. In this price range, they are an absolute no-brainer. When I can pay $2500 a speaker, I might get something else... but until then, I'll happily keep these & a complenting sub.

Strengths:
Excellent sound and imaging. Smooth. Exceptional value.

Weaknesses:
Hard to find. Not available in many retail outlets.

Similar Products Used:
nada

Price Paid:  $150.00

Summary:
Snagged three of them used off the Internet for $150/each after reading good reviews on them, and Paradigm in general, on this site.

Out of the box, first thing I noticed is that these are solid, and weren't hollow at all when I gently rapped on the case. Hooked them up, and proceeded to listen to three of my current favorite CD's: Depeche Mode "Violator", New Order "Best of..." and The Prodigy "Music for the Jilted Generation".

Well, needless to say, I was blown away. Clear detail of each instrument and voice mingled with the incredible soundstage produced by these speakers. I realized that I never really heard Mode's "Policy of Truth" in all it's glory. The impressive staccato beats of Prodigy's "Voodoo People" really came through impressively. The speakers threw out good bass, but not huge bass, which is to be expected (and thanked for, as I live in an apartment).

Since I currently utilize subpar rear speakers in my home theatre setup (which will change in the near future), I can only say that the Paradigm's do their job very well when it comes to DVD. The Center channel carries dialogue well, and the left and right perform just as well with DVD as they do in stereo for music.

I can't really find any faults with these speakers for the price I paid for them. I think I would've spent twice as much and been happy. They've brought what I once thought was dead music back to life!

Strengths:
Clarity, wide soundstage, detail

Weaknesses:
none

Summary:
I should start off by saying that I don't own the LCR350 model for my left and right speakers. I do, however, own the CC350... it's center channel cousin.

The CC350 is a great performer and gives incredable sound so I can only assume the LCR is just as good.

I really wanted to post this message because people should consider buying the Monitor 7 towers instead. Where I'm from in Toronto, each LCR goes for about 350 dollars. So a pair costs you a minimum 700 dollars Canadian, and then you have to spend 100 dollars on decient metal stands with spikes. That's 800 total Canadian. I bought the Monitor 7's instead a few months ago and only paid 689 Canadian. Best of all, they come with their own spikes and, because of the larger cabnet, give better bass responce. The 7's can also be bi-wired which, if I recall correctly, the LCR's are not. The LCR's are also rear ported, so they must be kept far from the walls. The 7's are front ported, so it's not an issue.

On quality and sound, I give the LCR's, like my CC, a 5 star rating. But because you can get the much better 7 towers for less than two LCR's I have to give it a 3 on value. If you really wanted to save money and still get alot of sound, the Mini Monitors are a better budget choice. That's what I used to have on the front which are now on the rear.

Price Paid:  $200.00

Summary:
After completing my HT set up I was in a quandry as to how I could could improve my center channel speaker. I had a Sound Dynamics CC speaker and it wasn't performing as well as I expected. I went to my local Pardigm dealer and explained my situation. The salesman suggested that I should try the LCR350 to match up with my older model 11Se fronts. I took his advise and bought it. After I hooked it up I sat down to watch the Matrix. I was blown away at the huge difference in sound. This speaker matched my fronts beautifully. It was an excellent match. I haven't look back since. This speaker performs extremely well in all the movie modes and is astounding when I play music in 5 channel stereo. The price I paid for it is shameful compared to the prices that I've seen in other reviews. $300 Canadian Pesos. I highly recommend this speaker to anyone with older model Paradigm mains. And to anyone looking for a high quality center channel, at a fraction of the price that one could pay for a comparable speaker.

My system consists of:
Paradigm 11Se fronts
Paradigm LCR350 Center channel
Paradigm Titan's Rears
Paradigm PS1000 Subwoofer
Denon AVR2800 A/V Reciever
Sony KV35S40 TV
Toshiba 2109 DVD
Pansonic PV9662 VCR
Sony CDP CE305 CD Changer (old but it works well)

Strengths:
Excellent bass, midrange and high end. Solid construction. Blends extremely well with the 11Se's.

Weaknesses:
NONE

Similar Products Used:
Sound Dynamics