Paradigm speakers


Does anyone know why Paradigm speakers do not get many reviews in most audiophile magazines or websites with all the awards they have. I was told by a dealer that they've been bought a few years back and quality isn't the same. Any feedback on their Prestige 85f speakers and do they require much break in time? 
How do these compare to Revel performa line ,Dynaudio, Focal and Golden Ear. 
Also before a speaker is broke in around 100 or 200 hours can they be damaged by playing loud or does break in matter as far as pushing them or playing loud. On the same note will speakers play a little louder after break in period ?

Thanks for your replies. 
lnitm
Initm, Paradigm gets a fair share of reviews. Their flagship 9H had a kind cover story review and a few, more realistic comments from audio show reviewers. While reviews can be descriptively helpful how most things audio react and compare in your listening space can be worlds different.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/paradigm-prestige-95f-loudspeaker

Like jsl1234 I'm a previous owner (Paradigm Studio 100s versions 1 and 2 and in home audition their S8s). In MY subjective opinion and with respect to the Audio Doctor's, Dave, Paradigm has a definite house sound that I continued to hear with the 9H at a brick and mortar store detailed in the 9H thread below. Yes, in MY opinion they are a bit bright but more importantly, FOR ME, they didn't make music FOR ME.  
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/paradigm-personas-a-first-listen?page=3

I didn't understand speaker presentation until the Paradigm V2s, S8s, and my current and more expensive used Avalon Eidolons were in the house to compare at the same time. How one comes to the rationale of listening to the music and not the system simply must be experienced. For everybody in my family and I it was a night and day difference.  Beware of what retailers and fanboys may have to say and most importantly beware of your own listening ability especially in an unfamiliar environment.

I would trust a manufactures suggestion of run in time at least as a baseline. In the end I find the whole system needs to settle in with any change.

As to your questions regarding playing loud, most will agree there are many factors that can damage speakers. Keep in mind this is home audio not extreme duty pro (public address) audio.  You may want to consider powered speakers which may have a more tailored design between amplifier and drivers and consequently may be more durable. These might be interesting to you.
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/full-range-loudspeakers-2017-09-06-speakers
Grpgr4blu,

The Prestige series is a bit bright, so are Rahido, Monitor Audio Platinum Series I, B&W, and many others high performance and high resolution speakers. 

As usual, speakers don't have a sound unto themselves, the sound you get has to do with the entire system, unless you are talking about fully active speakders with built in amps and dac, this is what is called the art of system matching, which is something I am particularly good at.

I am not saying there isn't a house sound, there is, and you can't make a bright speaker sound dull nor can you make a dull speaker sound bright, but you can find matching components that will compliment the things that you like about speaker x and minimize the things that you don't.

Grpgr4blu obviously doesn't know a damm thing about  this, or he wouldn't make sure ridiculous comments, he would know this as a fact.

If you have a speaker system which tends to favor upper octaves over more of a midrange centric system with a downward shelved treble such as a Vandersteen, then you need to add a warmer digital front end or a tube preamp or both along with neutral to wamer sounding cables, have you wondered why so many people talk about the Vandersteen/Ayre combo?

Vandersteens tend to sound warm and a bit rolled off in the top end, Ayre is neutral to a bit dry sounding, therfore, the match elevates both,

Same thing with the current Wilsons and ARC for example. ARC has always been neutral to a tad more forward compared to such tube brands like CJ, and the current Wilsons are less forward then past years with the Focal tweeter, get my point, it is finding a synergistic match of components.

The Personas have superb driver integration more so than the last series where you had a Beryilium tweeter coupled with an aluminum hybrid woofer. 

Dave owner
Audio Doctor NJ


What you should be doing when listening to a set of speakers is to identify what is the sound of the speaker vs what is the sound of the components.

Ideally you will find a set of speakers which work for you and then build around them.

Our philsophy is always start with the speakers, then match the electronics to the speakers, and then match the analog and digital front ends to those components.

You use the cables that will complement all of the components. 

Sometimes you have to experiment by changing to a tube preamp, or changing a digital front end etc.

Dave owner
Audio Doctor
m-db where did you hear the Personas and what were they setup with?

I have sold Avalons in the past, and do find them to sound excellent. I have always had tremendous respect for Avalons, but boy have they gotten pricey for what you are getting these days. 

I am not going to disagree with you that the Personas can sound a bit bright if you don't have them with the right gear. They are definatly tuned to sound neutral, but are definately not recessed, I would say they remind me a tad like the B&W Diamonds but with a more intergrated midrange, and a bit less agreesive top end then the new B&Ws. 

Again, we have one of the best Personas setups in the country and are using some of the best possible gear with them in an acoutically neutral room. 

Your opinion of them might be radically different if you heard our setup.

As I mentioned in some of the previous posts it has taken us years to come up with this system.  The funny thing is what worked with the remarkably high resolution Polymers pure Diamond tweete and midrange, worked splendily with the Personas.

For the record: T+A electronics, Aqua Hif, T+A PDP 3000 or Light Harmonic Davinci MK II, Enklekin cables with Audio Magico power conditioning. 

Dave owner
Audio Doctor NJ
Is anybody going to answer the question about break in time and not playing too loudly out of the box, can you hurt them until broke in given same playing levels before/after break in using a great Mark Levinson amp and no clipping. I know clipping an amp can damage speakers. 
Enough of the opinions and who knows what's best, geez everyone has their own tastes and hearing and what they prefer! 
Can we agree there are a lot of great products from different manufacturers and obviously some better than others, without spending $100,000.00!!