Thiel CS1.6 loudspeaker

Thiel CS1.6 loudspeaker

In the past year, <I>Stereophile</I> has reviewed a number of cost-no-object flagship loudspeakers. <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/600/">B&W's Signature 800</A>, <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/390/">MartinLogan's Prodigy</A>, <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/601/">Burmester's B-99</A>, <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/556/">Snell's XA Reference Tower</A>, <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/382/">Krell's LAT-1</A>, <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/555/">Linn's Komri</A>, <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/501/">Dynaudio's Evidence Temptation</A>, <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/391/">Sony's ES SS-M9ED</A>, and <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/644/">Rockport's Antares</A> have all passed through the review mill. Manufacturers like to submit their flagships for review for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the pride they take in showing what their engineers can do when given a blank check. However, while all these models do indeed provide great (if different) sound for the tens of thousands of dollars they demand from their owners, they are out of reach of the majority of audiophiles. It is important, therefore, for reviewers to spend time with real-world designs; when I heard the $1990/pair CS1.6 from Kentucky's Thiel at the 2002 CES last January, I requested a pair for review.

Recording of September 2002: Beethoven & Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos

Recording of September 2002: Beethoven & Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos

<B>BEETHOVEN & MENDELSSOHN: <I>Violin Concertos</I></B><BR> Joshua Bell, violin; Roger Norrington, Camerata Salzburg<BR> Sony Classical SK 89505 (CD). 2002. Andrew Keener, prod.; Arne Akselberg, eng. DDD. TT: 69:58<BR> Performance <B>*****</B><BR> Sonics <B>*****</B>

Paradigm Atom v.3 loudspeaker Measurements

Paradigm Atom v.3 loudspeaker Measurements

I had mixed feelings about reviewing the $189/pair Paradigm Atom loudspeaker. Although in the past I've been favorably impressed with Paradigm's speakers&mdash;the $600/pair <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/628/">Reference Studio/20</A> remains one of my favorite affordables&mdash;Budget Bob tends to get a bit nervous when a speaker's price drops below $250/pair. In my experience, even when the most talented speaker designers attempt to make a speaker to sell at such a low price, the result is often a very small cabinet with limited bass extension and inferior high-level dynamics.

Paradigm
205 Annagem Blvd.
Mississauga, Ontario L5T 2VI
Canada
(905) 632-0180
www.paradigm.com

Paradigm Atom v.3 loudspeaker Associated Equipment

Paradigm Atom v.3 loudspeaker Associated Equipment

I had mixed feelings about reviewing the $189/pair Paradigm Atom loudspeaker. Although in the past I've been favorably impressed with Paradigm's speakers&mdash;the $600/pair <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/628/">Reference Studio/20</A> remains one of my favorite affordables&mdash;Budget Bob tends to get a bit nervous when a speaker's price drops below $250/pair. In my experience, even when the most talented speaker designers attempt to make a speaker to sell at such a low price, the result is often a very small cabinet with limited bass extension and inferior high-level dynamics.

Paradigm
205 Annagem Blvd.
Mississauga, Ontario L5T 2VI
Canada
(905) 632-0180
www.paradigm.com

Paradigm Atom v.3 loudspeaker Specifications

Paradigm Atom v.3 loudspeaker Specifications

I had mixed feelings about reviewing the $189/pair Paradigm Atom loudspeaker. Although in the past I've been favorably impressed with Paradigm's speakers&mdash;the $600/pair <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/628/">Reference Studio/20</A> remains one of my favorite affordables&mdash;Budget Bob tends to get a bit nervous when a speaker's price drops below $250/pair. In my experience, even when the most talented speaker designers attempt to make a speaker to sell at such a low price, the result is often a very small cabinet with limited bass extension and inferior high-level dynamics.

Paradigm
205 Annagem Blvd.
Mississauga, Ontario L5T 2VI
Canada
(905) 632-0180
www.paradigm.com

Paradigm Atom v.3 loudspeaker Page 2

Paradigm Atom v.3 loudspeaker Page 2

I had mixed feelings about reviewing the $189/pair Paradigm Atom loudspeaker. Although in the past I've been favorably impressed with Paradigm's speakers&mdash;the $600/pair <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/628/">Reference Studio/20</A> remains one of my favorite affordables&mdash;Budget Bob tends to get a bit nervous when a speaker's price drops below $250/pair. In my experience, even when the most talented speaker designers attempt to make a speaker to sell at such a low price, the result is often a very small cabinet with limited bass extension and inferior high-level dynamics.

Paradigm
205 Annagem Blvd.
Mississauga, Ontario L5T 2VI
Canada
(905) 632-0180
www.paradigm.com

Paradigm Atom v.3 loudspeaker

Paradigm Atom v.3 loudspeaker

I had mixed feelings about reviewing the $189/pair Paradigm Atom loudspeaker. Although in the past I've been favorably impressed with Paradigm's speakers&mdash;the $600/pair <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/628/">Reference Studio/20</A> remains one of my favorite affordables&mdash;Budget Bob tends to get a bit nervous when a speaker's price drops below $250/pair. In my experience, even when the most talented speaker designers attempt to make a speaker to sell at such a low price, the result is often a very small cabinet with limited bass extension and inferior high-level dynamics.

Have you ever built an audio component, cable, or speaker for your system? Are you planning to?

Category

Audio has always hosted a sizable Do-It-Yourself (DIY) market. Reader Harry Kane wonders "how many readers still build their own components or would be interested in doing so, should there be a revival of high-end kits?"

Added to the Archives This Week

Added to the Archives This Week

For his review of the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/658/">Nagra VPA monoblock power amplifier</A>, Jonathan Scull lived a life of danger, noting that readers should "Respect the VPA as the hot-running, high-voltage device it is and It Will Provide. Cold-nosed pets and curious little fingers have no business around these Swiss Guards of quality sound engineering."

Retailing Roundup

Retailing Roundup

The US economy took a severe downturn last year following the terrorist attacks of September 11, and this year has been hit by the stock market's decline in the wake of the accounting scandal&ndash;fueled collapse of Enron and WorldCom, Inc. Electronics retailers have ridden out the slump fairly well, buoyed by a consumer trend toward "cocooning," or putting their disposable income into their homes. For most retailers, the popularity of DVD and home theater has offset diminishing sales of stand-alone audio.

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