AXPONA 2019

Paradigm Persona 3F loudspeakers, Anthem STR integrated amplifier

John Atkinson  |  Apr 16, 2019

The impressive-sounding room from dealer Audio Video Interiors featured the Anthem STR integrated amplifier ($4499) that Tom Norton reviewed for Stereophile in July 2018. Speakers were the Paradigm Persona 3Fs ($10,000/pair), a smaller sibling to the similar-looking Persona 5F ($17,000/pair) that Kal Rubinson reviewed in October 2018.

Through there were subwoofers in the room, they weren't operating when I listened to a percussion recording sourced from an Aurender server. Nevertheless, the bass drum almost knocked me off my chair, it was so deep and tight—a tribute to the effectiveness of Anthem's Room Correction, which is incorporated in the amplifier.

COMMENTS
audiodoctornj's picture
Submitted by audiodoctornj on April 17, 2019 - 8:32am

We are an Anthem and Paradigm dealer and after hearing all of the systems at AXPONA this little package was a true standout!

The proof of Anthem's concept of putting room correction into a two channel system was the sound in a way too small room had very deep tuneful bass, and had a good soundstage for a normal hotel room.

The system was also affordable for a reference grade system the Persona 3F are a $10k floor standing loudspeaker with some of the most advanced driver technology on the market, and the Anthem STR integrated is also a full dac, just add a streamer and you have a full system.

Many other systems had boomy or non descript bass and here in this room the compact 3F had a bass response of a much larger loudspeaker, the system had a very nice floating image, and had great purity in the midrange, and of course the remarkable clarity of pure Beryllium drivers.

One interesting part of the demo was the inclusion of the Paradigm Persona sub which tended to add a bit more weight to the 3F's terrific bass presentation but even the addition of a $6,500.00 subwoofer didn't add that much to the incredible sound that they were already getting.

The inclusion of Room Correction should be a larger and larger trend in audio and provides a level of sound quality in real rooms, that was just not possible before dsp technology's costs have come down so much.

Bravo Paradigm and Anthem this room was really remarkable.

Dave Lalin, Audio Doctor NJ Paradigm and Anthem dealers

X