Not a lot.

Boxy,tinny sound.

I purchased the 60V2's last December for combined music/movie's,and was quite dissapointed with them.I am not unfamiliar with Paradigm;i had a pair of their Compact Monitors in the 90's,and thye were awesome.Somehow these supposedly improved versions didn't hit the mark for me.Compared to the Snell Acoustic speakers they replaced,i found the 60V2's not nearly as accurate or dynamic.For movies they were ok,but for music they lacked definition,and very boxy.Their center image wasn't bad,but again in comparison to Snell's,they sounded somewhat bloated,especially the bass,and very directional when off the sweetspot.I just sold them and am going back to Snell's.

Similar Products Used:

Snell KIII,Snell QBX25,NHT 1.5,Paradigm Compact Monitor.

An a word, they're balanced, meaning they do everything well. Precise, wide soundstage, light and airy, fast accurate bass, and plenty powerful w/ right amplification. Perfect midrange. Only speaker in the range w./ a marginally better component is JM Labs Chorus, which have an excellent tweeter, but the bass and mids can't keep up. (the next line up matches the two and for $1600 is marginally better than these speakers) I audiitoned Klipsch, Energy, PSB (very similar but not quite), JBL, B&W. Are given 5 stars based on Canada prices. Reduce value to 4 if paying american.

The usual weaknesses for a 1200 speaker. Everything above could be better, you'd just need to spend 1600-2000 to notice, but they still beat everything in their category and at Canada prices, its an easy decision.

After much research, settled on these speakers and am very satisifed. Any decision in audio equipment needs to begin with the price range. Most any set of speakers from a reputable manufacturer that costs 5-10x , or even double, will trounce the lesser. However, from my listening the point of diminishing returns was $700-1000. Over that, you got more, but had to pay much more. I settled on: Paradigm Studio 60s w/ matching center and 20s in the rear. NAD 752, very clean, warm, incredibly easy to use, excellent match. NAD CD/DVD 5 dics changer Audioquest speaker cable and interconnects. Will add a sub when I buy a house. By the way, for those of you that are buying Denon, Marantz, Pioneer (and Elite) Yamaha, they make fine equipment, but spend a little more and step into a different category. You really don't need 14DSP modes, or an extra set of "effects" speakers. This amp is cheaper than and sounds far better (with these speakers) than the Denon 3802. The difference is in the details of the music. If you want to spend more than a grand on a reciever go to separates. I've detailed these speakers below. Note the price. Its US. If you can get to canada, you'll save 300 off american easy. (1270 vs 830) for me. If you can't get to Candada, I'd still choose these, but a case might be made for others. Price rules. Even an extra hundred off buys a lot of music, better components, etc. Also, the only way to audition speakers is a/b style. Have great dealers that let you borrow equipment, I took it to other stores. The salespeople had fun too comparing they're stuff to the competition.

Transparent, balanced sound, quality construction

Long break-in period

I use these for the fronts of my home theater system. I have the reference cc center, studio 20s for the rear and a velodyne spl 1000 sub. Reciever is a denon 4802. I am extremely happy with my system anchored by the studio 60s. I find myself more and more turning the sub off and listening to music in stereo with just the 60s. They are have a great soundstage and seem to disapear with most music I listen to, very transparent. This also boasts well for the denon reciever. I have always been a separates fan but you would have to spend alot of dollars to equal the sound of this receiver. In my opinion you can't go wrong with these speakers for home theater, stereo or whatever. Give them time to break in and I know that you will be impressed.

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm studio 20s

Good detail across the frequency range, improved esthetics over the v.1's, great value.

Bass can run away a bit but I don't believe the speaker is the main culprit. While I know Paradigm's philosophy is to run them with the grills on, I sort of like the look of a nice compliment of unadorned drivers to gaze at a la B&W 600 series 3.

I bought these speakers after a lot of fence sitting between the generally superior imaging of monitors and the generally superior range (bottom end) of floor standers. (Before I set off a tirad of angry emails, please note I wrote `generally'. This implies I am comparing similar driver compliments and price ranges.) The main competition to the Studio 60 v.2's were the Studio 40's but in the end, factoring in the price of a set of good stands, I opted for the 60's. To date I have no regrets and since a good friend of mine owns the 40's with a similar complement of components, I am in a good position to judge. While some reviewers have cricitized the tweeters, I find them generally pleasing especially in their rendition of cymbals. The tweeters in the v.2's are a big step up from the original Studio series which I found rather harsh. The bottom end is very good in my opinion and while it can get a bit boomy at times, I think the fact that a receiver is driving it is at least partially responsible. Since I live in a condo and a sub would not be a very social purchase, the 60's are about as much low end as I can subject my neighbors to in good conscience. Similarly, the soundstaging is not quite what I had hoped for but again, better amplification would undoubtedly help. Detail and resolution are very good and while I have had the opportunity to listen to highly accurate speakers like Dynaudios and Totems, personally I find them a little too intense. I like my listening experience a little more relaxed and the 60's strike a very nice balance; fatigue is never a problem. Overall, I highly recommend these speakers. Look again at the price I paid (US dollars) and realize that while I would love to own a pair of Epos ES30's, they are roughly 5 times the price not to mention discontinued. For those of us with mere 5 figure annual incomes (or at least those who will admit to it), I cannot think of a better speaker for the money. PS) With some of the cash you save buying these, do yourself a favor and buy some appropriate cable like Kimber, DNM or Cardas. Anyone who hooks these up with Radio Shack bulk multi-strand is doing themselves a huge disservice.

Similar Products Used:

B&W 600 S3 and CM, Dynaudio Audience 42 through 62, NHT, Definitive, Epos (sigh), Tannoy Saturn 6 and 8, etc.

Excellent midrange, near full range for all source materials except some HT, price.

Treble problems on some source materials

After years of living with a Klipsch Kg4/Denon combo, the HT bug bit. I auditioned everything I could find in the under $1500 category, including B&W 603 S2, NHT 2.5i, Meadowlark Kestrels, Monitor Audio 5i and 8i, Vienna Acoustic Mozarts, and others. B&W and Paradigm seemed to have similar sonic characteristics, but the Paradigms were a better value. The NHT and Paradigms side by side showed the NHTs to have a more hollow midrange and a harder edge to the tweeter, but with better bass. I really liked the Kestrels, but they didn't have enough bottom end or dynamic ability to fill my room. The Monitors' tweeters were just way too shrill, and their low end was lacking. The Mozarts sounded fat. In the end, the Paradigms seemed to represent the best balance at this price point. After living with these speakers for almost two years, I can say the midrange is definitely their strong point. They do very well with rock, blues and classical, particluarly if the recording is up to the task. Vocals are quite neutral and natural sounding. Imaging and soundstaging are good, although not the final word in that department. With room reinforcement in my house, the bass is sufficient for everything but organ music and some HT. Dynamics do not pose any problem. If these speakers have a weakness, it's their tweeter. Depending on the source material, the highs can sound a bit sharp. I have also noticed excessive sibilance on some recordings. However, I do not notice this problem on high quality recordings, which makes me wonder whether this is a speaker problem or a source problem. My upstream components are not noted for their mellow top ends, either, so this may represent a system matching issue that could be resolved with different component matching. Even so, I listen to these all the time, and on 90% of the recordings, I do not have any problems. They generally produce balanced and excellent sound from top to bottom. Overall, these speakers are not the ultimate in high end audio, but they're very good. I could go for a bit more sweetness in the treble, but for the price, I have not found their equal. I give 5 stars for their performance in this price class. Compared to other significantly more expensive speakers (>$2500) I've heard, the rating would be slightly lower. Components: ATI 1505 Sony TA-E9000ES Various cable and source material

Similar Products Used:

See above.

- Very solid build quality - Nice bass capabilities (going with a bigger cabinet such as the Studio 80/100 will increase that bass sound) - Excellent sound (these speakers are worth the money and more) - 5 yr warranty

- None (for the price category of this speaker, it would match-up with speakers worth double the price)

I did alot of research using the internet before actually going out and listening to a few choices. The Klipsch RF3 and the Paradigm Studio 60v2 came to a head-to-head. Both had a nice bass sound (not boomy or weak). The Klipsch speakers probably had a slightly stronger bass sound when compared to the Paradigm speakers. The overal difference was minimal (and a question of personal taste). I ended-up going with the Paradigm speakers because for the price difference (I got the Paradigm speakers for $100 less than the Klipsch) I felt that the slightly slimmer cabinet would "fit" more nicely in my small-to-medium sized livingroom. I am using an Integra DTR 5.3 receiver to drive the speakers. The main use is for listening to music (a wide range of music). I enjoy the overall sound quality of this matchup. For the price range, the Paradigm Studio 60v2 are worth listening to. These speakers work well based on the room type and size that I have. In a huge showroom, remember that the bass response may sound slightly weaker.

Similar Products Used:

Kenwood

Tonal balance and imaging - aesthetics in the laminate finishes if that''s important to you.

It''s simply not a $2000 speaker, but for what it is - none.

I was looking for a smaller floorstanding speaker for a stereo-only setup, and my rough budget was in the “under $1500” range. The Def Tech 2006TL and 2004TL were big disappointments for stereo. The new B&W and Paradigm lines are head and shoulders above in this price class. The relative music performance of those lines goes something like… DM603 S3 – big upgrade to Studio 60 – flip a coin between the 60s and the DM604 S3 – big upgrade to Studio 80. The 60s were the best overall value for my needs. I have some past experience in this price range with KEF, Vandersteen, Klipsch, and Thiel, but if you listen to a wide variety of music I don’t think they compete with the current B&W and Paradigm lines. If there’s any way you can get to Canada, the Paradigms are a no brainer. I got the 60s in the cherry laminate finish for about $925 US. I don’t believe you can touch the Studio 60s with any other brand/model speaker in the world under $1000. At US prices, I’d put the black finish 60s head to head with the DM604 S3s and pick your favorite. In imaging and tonal balance the 60’s will compete with much more expensive speakers. They are excellent for reproducing a smaller combo size soundstage – jazz, blues, whatever, and they will play LOUD without losing their character. Bass is good (much better than the DM603 S3) but as you might expect the low end frequency response and the overall soundstage aren’t as mammoth or convincing as what you’d get out of the Studio 100s or many other more expensive speakers that have larger enclosures and more drivers. If you follow all of Paradigm’s recommendations you could spend more than $1800 for your components and cables behind the Studio 60s, but it’s not worth the trip. If you have money burning a hole in your pocket, do yourself a favor and upgrade to a $2000+ speaker class. You can expect to drive the 60s just fine with a high-end receiver or modest separates. If you don’t like what you hear, well, before spending another dime on electronics I’d make sure the problem isn’t that all your favorite rock CDs are poorly recorded and mixed. I’ll give them a 5 in value and performance in this class. At Canadian prices they are the world standard for value.

Similar Products Used:

dbx Soundfield 1A, KEF, Vandersteen

Price, strong cabinet, pleasant sound

At this price? Well, I guess that the real wood version is too expensive for what one gets.

Ah well, let''''''''''''''''s try this again. First, a brief note of thanks to those whom have shared their experiences with their equipment. Very professional and informative. The story began with the purchase of the Paradigm Monitor 7v2, a Pioneer VSX-D810S AV receiver, and a Pioneer DV 440 DVD/CD player. After break-in (playing the radio for >100 hours), and trying different placements in my 20’x20’x9’ room, I decided that I could now do some critical listening. My main CD is Eric Clapton Unplugged. These speakers seemed a bit bright and did not give me the enveloping sound that I was hoping for. It seemed that my 15 year old Paradigms (7se) sounded somewhat better. As is apparently the norm in this hobby, I upgraded. First was the receiver - the Denon AVR 3802 and, as expected, that definitely ‘rounded’ out the brightness to the point that my wife noticed an immediate improvement. Not quite right still, I thought to myself. Having seen the Studio Series products at the dealer but at the time not willing to put that much money into my speakers, I decided to actually go and listen to them with my CD. What can I say that has not been published by professional reviewers or by the people on this board? I am not an audiophile (yet), but the sound was much more enveloping (soundstage?) and real when compared directly with the Monitor 7v2. I traded my Monitors (including the CC-370) for the Studio 60v2 and Studio CC and have broken them in with the radio again for >100 hours. This is the sound that I was hoping for. My recommendation to those who are thinking of purchasing a Monitor Series product is to listen to the Studio Series and think about it for a couple of days. This might prevent buyer’s remorse. As a side note, these speakers (laminate version) actually weigh 56 lbs. and not 88 lbs. as stated in the brochure. This is according to my weigh scale at home and confirmed by the shipping department at Paradigm. Sony Trinitron TV 35” (1999) Denon AVR 3802 (2002) Pioneer DV 440 (2002) RCA HiFi VCR (1996) Paradigm Studio 60v2 (2002) Paradigm Studio CCv2 (2002) Paradigm PW 2200 (2002) Mission 700 bookshelf speakers (1999) Home Depot 12AWG speaker wire (Nb. bi-wired the 60s and the CC) Monster Cable/Tributary interconnects

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm 7se Paradigm Monitor 7v2 B&W 603 S2

Price; strong cabinet; R&D costs put into the engineering, not especially appearance.

At this price? Whatever.

First, a brief note of thanks to those whom have shared their experiences with their equipment. Very professional and informative. The story began with the purchase of the Paradigm Monitor 7v2, a Pioneer VSX-D810S AV receiver, and a Pioneer DV 440 DVD/CD player. After break-in (playing the radio for >100 hours), and trying different placements in my 20'x20'x9' room, I decided that I could now do some critical listening. My main CD is Eric Clapton Unplugged. These speakers seemed a bit bright and did not give me the enveloping sound that I was hoping for. It seemed that my 15 year old Paradigms (7se) sounded somewhat better. As is apparently the norm in this hobby, I upgraded. First was the receiver - the Denon AVR 3802 and, as expected, that definitely 'rounded' out the brightness to the point that my wife noticed an immediate improvement. Not quite right still, I thought to myself. Having seen the Studio Series products at the dealer but at the time not willing to put that much money into my speakers, I dec

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm 7se Paradigm Monitor 7v2 B&W 603 S2

Imaging, detail, ability to play as a system rather than an individual sound source, great looks with the real wood. Also sound very good with moderate electronics.

Only weakness I can think of is that the laminate finish is pretty basic if not ugly.

I have now had these for a year and a half. This is also a follow up from my initial review in Sept. 2000 (when they were only 3mos old). Up until very recently, I was stuggling to better the sound I was getting with 2ch music and my Denon AVR-3300 receiver. I liked the sound I was getting, but I thought it wasn''t as good as it should be. I then upgraded to a quality CD player, (NAD C660 dual drawer recorder), and a good 2ch amp (Parasound HCA-1500a). Neither of these upgrades seemed to improve anything greatly. But there was an improvement because I did find myself enjoying and listening to music more often. The biggest improvement I made was not in equipment but in the quality of recordings I started listening to. I began to pick up reference recordings suggested by many of the reviews written in magazines and websites. My listening enjoyment boomed, and I found some wonderful new material to listen to. Keb'' Mo'' and Eva Cassidy are two great artists that I now really appreciate. I have also listened to other speakers since I got mine. The most impressive speakers I have found since are actually less expensive: JM Labs Chorus (floor stander - don''t recall model) and NHT Super Two''s (now discontinued) retail for $850 and $750 respectfully, and they both were very impressive. The SuperTwo''s reminded me very much of my own 60''s, so I was a little upset knowing I bought considerably more expensive speakers. The JM Labs speaker''s imaging blew me away. So again, I was a little upset. But, after playing around with my speakers and finally getting a subwoofer (PW-2200) to blend really well, I am more than pleased with the 60''s. I have also heard some speakers that cost more than the 60''s, running on equipment far superior to my equipment, that did not impress me enough to want them over the 60''s. So, it looks like the Reference 60''s can compete with some bigger players, but they aren''t necessarily in a class by themselves either. There are many other fine speakers available, but I don''t hesitate to recommend these 60''s. I''m sure I still have some learning to do when it comes to evaluating good quality sound, so you who are in the same boat should listen to a variet of speakers go with the ones that make the most sense for you. In the Paradigm''s case, I LOVED the real wood veneers, so any price premium I paid was worth

Similar Products Used:

NHT, PMC, Def. Tech, B&W, JM Labs, Monitor Audio.