About The Paradigm Monitor SE 5.1 Speaker System
Lets face it, most of the so-called electronics branded surround sound speaker packs available from the mass merchants are pretty terrible. This Paradigm package combines a solid group of very well-made speakers from one of the world's big brands and at a package price that's so good, it will surprise you.
The system is all based around the Paradigm Monitor SE Series speaker range from Paradigm which hit the magic price-point, but deliver true hi-fi performance. There is no weak area in this system! Styling is conservative yet classy with a strong European influence and each item has impeccable fit and finish with a choice of Matte Black or Gloss White (extra premium over Matte Black). This 5.1 Speaker system demonstrates in spades that you don't need to spend a fortune to get a great all round product that will match very well with any number of Home Theatre amplifiers or receivers. Go Paradigm.
Front, Centre and Rears: Just like all Paradigm loudspeakers these Canadian jewels are engineered to change the way you think and feel about your entertainment. The 6000F is a tall yet slimline cabinet that is designed to perform on the big stage - read medium to large rooms - and will definitely suit the loudest rock tracks or big-time movie blockbusters. The five-driver configuration crosses over the tweeter at 3kHz and the mid-bass drivers at 800Hz and at the high end boast a 25mm (1") X-PAL dome tweeter with Paradigm's perforated phase-aligning tweeter lens, which is seriously a big deal at this price point. (Note, the SE 2000C centre and the SE Atom rear speakers use the same 140mm mid-bass driver and X-PAL dome tweeter for excellent 'voice-matching' across the system). The Monitor SE 6000Fs have a rated bottom end of 43Hz, which makes them good to go for movies and music alike, although you would want to use a sub at least for movies, but at any price that's some pretty bodacious low end grunt. Also impressive is the 93 dB efficiency, meaning the 6000F's can crank out the dBs when driven by anything from a single-ended triode tube amp to a small receiver to anything higher up the amplifier food chain.
Drivers: Paradigm X-PAL Pure-Aluminium Dome Tweeters with exclusive Perforated Phase-Aligning (PPA) Lens are used in all five speakers. This patent pending design acts as a refined phase plug, blocking a wide range of out-of-phase frequencies which increases and smooths output without colouring the sound. Both visually stunning and functional, Paradigm's signature PPA Lens technology improves performance while also protecting the tweeter from getting damaged. As mentioned above, all the mid-bass cones have high-performance mineral-filled polypropylene cones with inverted dust caps that are both lightweight and rigid. Downroll surrounds give them a clean, low-profile look.
Centre & Rear Speakers: The Monitor SE 2000C Centre Channel is an excellent match in this system and brings voices to life with a clarity that makes understanding vocals so much easier. It is compact and has all the technology that has been discussed above. Same with the SE Atoms that are unobtrusive yet fill in the surround sound with verve and panache. They can be shelf mounted or you can wall mount or stand mount (stands and brackets sold separately).
Subwoofer: We sell a lot of good subwoofers and Paradigm is in the top few. The Defiance V12 Subwoofer cranks out the bass with dynamic authority that will impress all bass lovers and is the logical choice with the other speakers. The small footprint of the Paradigm Defiance V12 packs tons of technology into a compact powerhouse for maximum low frequency impact. Pound for ground-shaking pound, Defiance V delivers the best bass and unbeatable value in its class. The Defiance V12 features a 305mm (12") bass driver controlled by a 120 Watts RMS (250 Watts Dynamic Power) Class D amplifier for deep bass down to 18Hz. It also features App control via a smartphone and is Anthem Room Correction (ARC) ready. You can also add a wireless transmitter (sold separately).
Built on Research: Monitor SE loudspeakers benefit from Paradigm's fundamental research into the science of sound. This research, conducted by Paradigm in conjunction with the Canadian National Research Council, has resulted in many of the innovative materials and patented audio technologies found throughout Paradigm speakers. This is an amazing gold-mine of Canadian technology that floats around Toronto's nationally sponsored measurement labs. No other country has anything like it.
Our Take
And here we were thinking that the previous Paradigm Monitor Series would be a hard act to follow. Ha! Paradigm seems to pull off the impossible with consummate ease and has dished up the next level in affordable speakers with the Monitor SE Series. Stylish, smooth dynamic sound, great finishes, good proportions and very fair prices make this Monitor SE range one of the go to speaker packages at anywhere near this price point. The speaker cabinets, with their unmistakably European fit, simple elegant style and finish are solid and very well made. On music, the 6000F's have a wonderful sound-stage but with the addition of the Paradigm Defiance V12 Subwoofer you really get to feel both the music and movie effects.
Choice of amplifier is an interesting one and will depend a lot on a number of things including your entertainment priorities, how large your room is, type of floor coverings and of course how loud you intend to play the system. Paradigm themselves recommend up to 130 Watts RMS per-channel and the advantage is you will get plenty of 'clean' power, but you will need to make sure the centre and rears are set lower than that (easy done in the setup) because they obviously cannot handle that power due to their smaller size. Something around the 80 to 100 Watts RMS per-channel is probably more realistic, but caution is required not to over-drive the amplifier into distortion on any of the speakers. Need help to get your head around this? Then simply give us a call on (03) 9874-8233 and we'll be happy to help. This is a great package that you could buy online without listening and get a gorgeous result. If possible, come in and have a look, we're sure you'll agree this is great value.
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: 5.1 Channel Surround Sound Speaker System
Paradigm Monitor SE 6000F Floor Standing Front Speakers
- Configuration: 5-Driver, 3-Way
- Enclosure: Bass Reflex Design.
- Bass Drivers: 3 x 140mm Bass Drivers
- Midrange Driver: 1 x 140mm Midrange Driver
- Tweeter: 1 x 25mm X-PAL Dome
- Recommended Amplifier Power: 15 - 130 Watts RMS
- Recommended Maximum Input: 100 Watts RMS - must be 'clean' power
- Frequency Response: 40Hz - 21kHz ± 3dB
- Impedance: 8 Ohms (Nominal)
- Speaker Wire Terminals: Will accept bare wire or banana plugs
- Speaker Accessories: Spikes & Rubber Feet Included
- Finish: Matte Black or Gloss White
- Dimensions(WxHxD): 230 x 1050 x 360mm each
- Weight: 19.9kg each
Paradigm Monitor SE 2000C Centre Speaker
- Configuration3-Driver, 2-Way
- Enclosure: Bass Reflex Design
- Mid/Bass Driver: 2 x 140mm Mid/Bass Driver
- Tweeter: 1 x 25mm X-PAL Dome
- Recommended Amplifier Power: 15 - 100 Watts RMS
- Recommended Maximum Input: 50 Watts RMS - must be 'clean' power
- Frequency Response: 64Hz - 21kHz ± 3dB
- Impedance: 8 Ohms (Nominal)
- Speaker Wire Terminals: Will accept bare wire or banana plugs
- Sensitivity: 93dB
- Finish: Matte Black or Gloss White
- Dimensions(WxHxD): 500 x 183 x 280mm
- Net Weight: 8.6kg
Paradigm Monitor SE Atom Rear Speakers
- Configuration: 2-Driver, 2-Way
- Enclosure: Bass Reflex Design
- Mid/Bass Driver: 1 x 140mm Mid/Bass Driver
- Tweeter: 1 x 25mm X-PAL Dome
- Recommended Amplifier Power: 25 - 80 Watts RMS - must be 'clean' power
- Recommended Maximum Input: 50 Watts RMS - must be 'clean' power
- Frequency Response: 55Hz - 21kHz ± 3dB
- Impedance: 8 Ohms (Nominal)
- Sensitivity: 89dB
- Speaker Wire Terminals: Will accept bare wire and banana plugs
- Finish/Colour: Matte Black or Gloss White
- Dimensions(WxHxD): 180 x 320 x 270mm each
- Weight: 5.4kg each
Paradigm Defiance V12 Subwoofer
- Driver: 1 x 305 mm (12") Driver
- Cone: Carbon-loaded polypropylene cone
- Amplifier: 120 Watts RMS, 250 Watts Dynamic Peak, Class-D amplifier
- Enclosure: Bass reflex design with down firing ports,
- Low Pass Filter Frequency: Variable 35Hz – 120Hz, Bypass Option
- Sub / Sat Phase Alignment: Continuously Variable 0° – 180°
- App Control: Yes, via smartphone or tablet
- Finish: Satin Black
- Wireless Transmitter: Defiance WT Wireless Kit (sold separately)
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 420 x 455 x 434mm
- Weight: 19.1 kg
- Cables: Not included due to individual requirements. See suggestions below
- Delivery: Included
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 5 years on Drivers; 2 years on subwoofer Amplifier
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE