Price Paid:  $450.00 from Audio Labs

Summary:
I went in to Audio Labs with a Demo disk of my own with mainly jazz and other acustic music. I was set on getting a pair of Phantoms, but really spent some time look at all of the other comparable speakers. (monitor 1, 5, 7 and Focus, Phantom and titan) I mainly used a track from Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, "So What" I have extensive experience with live Jazz and I was most interested in creating a similar sound stage, nothing like a remastered classic to do that. The montior 5s had the most realism and stage. The high and midranges are very smooth and not overly bright. The base is well defined, not as defined as the 7s, but in fact had more realistic lows. The performance series from paradigm (phantom, titan and focus) were all over exagerated, bright and deep, with sacraficing the midrange smoothness of the monitor series. This is most apparent in piano tracks, the full body and resonance of a piano is seemingly lost in the performance series. My gratitude to the people at Paradigm for creating such amazing products, if you are looking at other speakers from Paradigm they are all amazing and my reviews are from directly compairing the models head to head. My gratitude also goes out to the guys at Audio Labs for allowing me the time to listen in a controled setting to each speaker in the same room, same possitioning and same music. It took 2 hours and we rearanged the store, but it was well worth it. Thanks guys. Note: the speakers pictured here are not monitor 5s, monitor 5s are a tall bookshelf speaker with 1 in high and two 6.5 in mid/lows. the bass port in on the back. I plan to add a CC-270 or CC-370 next, followed by a PDR-12 for home theater appications. My monitor 5s are being used for movies as well, but their main purpose is for stereo music. see http://www.paradigm.ca for more info and other reviews of Paradigm loudspeakers.

Strengths:
Price (mine were last years closeout) - at $450 they are amazing, $550 still a great deal Stage and Imaging - sounds are realistic and spacial, the stereo stage is amazing.

Weaknesses:
None - you need to listen to real music on a real amp, I have a harmon / kardon 510 digital. If you are looking for a "Party Speaker" go to Best Buy these are serious speakers for serious ears, don't insult them by fireing all 200 watts of your systems into them. Made for music, not digi-techno-house crap.

Similar Products Used:
Titans, CC 170s AR - Hologram series Harmon Kardon equipment

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Richer sounds

Summary:
When I originally set out to but some front speakers, my main consideration was their compatibility with a surround sound setup. I tested many speakers from Inc Mission, JPW and Kef floor standers. Nothing came close to the 5''s low end punch and detail. The only problem was I had to wait 6 months for them to be delivered from Canada! They are now mated with mission 77ds rears and sound like they were made for each other...

Strengths:
Bass responce Front surround performance Value for money

Weaknesses:
Availability in UK! Considering the great centre speakers available, a matching set of rear bipolar''s would be nice!

Price Paid:  $250.00

Summary:
Overall: Listen to all other good speaker brands before you buy these. I got a great deal on these, and still returned them because I could not figure out why the sound was not right. I fist thought it was the reciever, then the CD player, but in the end it was the speakers. They just did perform as well as everyone said they would.

Strengths:
Not many. Still a good speaker, but overrated.

Weaknesses:
Constant hissing sound in backround of Music.These are a good speaker, but when comparing to other high end speakers that I have heard, these don't compare. Way Way Overrated!!!!

Similar Products Used:
Speakers:(Klipsch Heresy's, KG4.2's, KG1's, KSC1, PSB Sub's) Recievers & CD's: (Denon, Yamaha)

Summary:
I gave Paradigm a chance to live up to the hype. I listened to a pair of these at my local audio store. They sounded pretty good. I figured they would sound even better properly placed, in my listening room. Nope. I compared these to a pair of Signet SL-260 bookshelf speakers I had on hand. No comparison. The Paradigms overall balance was good, but the soundstage was flat as a board and the was no depth! Boring! Maybe a break-in period was needed. I played them for another 2 weeks and then did the comparison again: Same results and a bonus! One of the tweeters started leaking! Nice. Great Party speaker. Not recommended. I have to laugh at some reviews where the person states something like: "This speaker brought the musicians right into the room." "Just like being there." Yeah right! No speaker system can create that kind of atmosphere. Especially with present day Digital Crap. (ie:mp3)

Strengths:
Price, warranty

Weaknesses:
"Flat" soundstage, limited depth

Similar Products Used:
Kef Q-50 Signet SL-260

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Bradford's

Summary:
Very happy with this product! Fair price. Compared favorably to others at much higher prices.

Strengths:
quality for the price

Weaknesses:
No "punchy" bass

Similar Products Used:
compared to JBL, Yamaha, Boston Acoustics