Compare Paradigm speakers to....

Thanks everyone for the input. Mostly confirmed my own sentiments.

My only issue with Paradigm is they go shrill when pushed 89+ db in my medium room. Even with first class gear. IMO there are better for the price, and I have had a ton of studio, sig models. I think the best Paradigm value is in a used pair of Studio 20 V2's

I've owned Paradigm Atom and Studio (20 and 60) speakers. Can't comment and the Sig series. I think the Atoms are one of the best value speakers in their class.

The Studio series, IMO, does everything well, better suited for HT but also very good for rock music. What they lack, IMO, is a "wow" factor. Rarely a moment, in my experience, where a certain instrument, vocal, track produces a sound that makes you want to hear that again. Really no soulful or emotional connection - at least musically.

See, I did experience the wow factor to some degree when auditioning a pair of Monitor 11s. The wow came when we were comparing to a couple other brands in the same price class. Totally different level of seperation. We could hear stuff with the Paradigms that were inaudible with the other brands. This was at a very moderate volume. Didn't get the chance to hear what they sounded like at higher volume levels.

To Sthomas12321 and others: trust me folks -- my ears will bleed and distort before my S8s go shrill, if they ever do. Right now I am listening to the original soundtrack of Jersey Boys. The only thing "shrill" I will hear is my wife screaming at me to turn the da*n stereo off!!

I've said it 100 times before and I'll say it again, the S8s are the best kept secret in HI-FI and HI-END speakers on the market. The real problem isn't the speakers. It's the dealers. The profit margin on HI-END high priced speakers is greater than on the S8s. So you do the math. If you were a dealer, what would you rather sell?? A speaker priced liked a Chevy that drives like a Rolls Royce or a Rolls Royce that is priced . . . well like a Rolls Royce??

And for the record, I didn't research my speaker selection. I have no emotional attachment to a personal judgment call. I just fell into the S8s through dumb luck. But . . . if you A/B the S8s in a pure blind test set-up, you will be surprised, assuming of course that the amps and sound rooms are compatible with the S8s and the other brand "X" speaker.