I have an opportunity to purchase either one of the two set of speakers. What would you recommend? and Why? I own a Paradigm Studio 100v2 & wonder if buying either of the above is a good upgrade? Many thanks.
Victor, it obviously depends on what you are expecting in the upgrade. Since you give no indication what system is in front of these would-be speakers, it is difficult to judge what the final result might be.
I'm using a Portal Panache 2-channel amp and a Jolida 100A CD player for my music playback (with Zu Wax speaker cables). IMHO the music comes from this system and the Paradigm 100v2 is quite musical with warm vocal & mid-range, good details and without the hardness of solid state stuff. I have not had a chance to listen to any of the Energy Veritas speakers and I only found several reviews of the 2.3i on the net. Many thanks.
While the Portal integrated amp is quite a value in its price range, I would not consider pairing it with the Veritas. The Veritas would like to see amplification on the scale of about ten times the price range of the Portal. You will end up hearing the ommissions and corners cut from the Portal design. Whether to upgrade to the new Paradigms is a matter of how much you have to pay for the incremental improvement. I would suggest putting your money into the front of the system before upgrading the speakers further. Deal with some accessory upgrades which will make the most of what you have in electronics. If you have not used a good power line conditioner, that is where I would begin. Isolation systems would be my next choice.
Jan, I do have a cable voltage stabilizer (Monster AV 2000) + Monster HTS-5100 + xindak power cord. I have a Conrad Johnson 2500 and the Portal just out plays the CJ. I also took the Portal to my friend's Thiel CS6 & it drove them wonderfully (quite comparable to my friend's Mark Levinson 332, just a less powerful and forward). From that experience, I thought that may be upgrading speakers would be my next logical choice and then purchase another portal for by-amping at the later date (or use the CJ for the by-amping). In any case, do you think the Energy Veritas 2.3i is much better than the Paradigm 100v3? They can be had at about the same price. The Energy Veritas 2.4i is about 1K more but I don't care too much for booming bass since my music of choice is modern jazz. I need details, good sound stage and warm mid-range.
capww8
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Posted on
If you can find it, go for a first generation Veritas 1.8, far superior to any of the others in the veritas line, primarily due to a greater level of shelf bracing throughout the cabinet. However, I've found these speakers to be fairly reliant on your room.
It is with these speakers that I have the most experience (in energy's line), and get to play with Studio 100v3's every day. To me, the Studios have a greater soundstage, and wider dispersion than the Energy's. Both really want a lot of breathing room, and the energy's seem to be a little bit brighter (probably due to the giant dome midrange). The paradigms are more neutral, but seem to be a little shy of midbase.
I cannot speak to the sound of the new Paradigm since I've not heard that particular speaker. My personal preference would go to the Veritas on the basis of emotion. The overall sound of the Paradigm line has always struck me as technically very adept but slightly lacking in emotion. Anyone who likes or uses the Paradigm will disagree I'm certain. I've not experienced the brightness the previous poster mentions in the Energy. The Veritas has presence but not brightness when I listen to it, but that could be the room. With the amount of energy the Veritas puts into a room, it will be very room dependent.
I would take your amp with you or arrange an extended audition of the Veritas. I don't know how far back you go with modern jazz. I would take Chet Baker and Bill Evans to audition these speakers. My guess is the Veritas will show you how these performers get to the next note and then the next note and then the next note - and the Paradigms will show you how they play that note. Which you prefer is your decision.
Either way since you've addressed the power situation, I would retube with something other that the stock tubes in the Jolida and still consider some isolation devices.
Good luck.
capww8
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Posted on
That's a great write-up Jan, and I would certainly agree with you 100%. As it happens, I prefer a more technically adept speaker. And the veritas certainly is emotional, where most of paradigm's line is fairly cold.