I'm looking at the Aperion 633T and Paradigm Studio 60 v3 speakers and was wondering if anyone have any recommendations or personal experience regarding these two? I'm also looking at the Paradigm Studio 100 v3 as a possible upgrade for the fronts.
The Paradigm Reference Studio 60v3 is head and shoulders better than the Aperion. No comparison! The Aperion 633T represents good value but not in the same league with Studio 60v3.
I ordered a set of Aperion's satellite speakers and have been very satisfied with the combination of the customer experience, build quality, price, size and sound. Of course sound quality is always in the ears of the beholder. However they even pay to ship their units back if you don't like them. So what do you have to loose?
Quinn and Art, have you guys listen to both of these together, can you please elaborate a little? I don't have much experience with the Paradigms and none at all with Aperions. I know that both are great speakers from all the reviews, and that the Paradigms uses the aluminum tweeters and Aperions the silk tweeters. I think this may be where the main difference lies as far as sound "character." Price wise, I have seen the Studio60v3 for around $650 and the 633T is at $499 (direct), so they are both great values!
At our local dealer, I actually thought the Studio 60v3 sounded better than the Studio 100v3, and that was very surprising, but they were running on different amps and pre's.
Since everyone in the audio world tells me to listen, listen, and listen some more before I buy, I will definitely give the Aperions a try.
Thanks for all your advice, any sagely insight is greatly appreciated.
It's not just the tweeter composition that's different between the speakers it' s all of the drivers and the construction of the drivers. Read up on Paradigm Reference series drivers they are quite good. I agree that the Studio 60v3 to my ears sound better balanced than the Studio 100v3's. As far as the Aperion's I live in Aperion country and they really aren't in the same league as far as timbre, imaging, and most of the other attributes we place on high end speakers as the Paradigm Reference series. Good luck and happy holidays to you. If you have more specific questions feel free to ask.
Heck, I'd listen to the Ascend 170s or 340s (although I'd probably wait to ordered the SE versions) before I order the Aperions.
I'd listen to Alegria Audio's Lings or Emmas first as well - although I haven't heard the Emmas yet. There's more to sound than the pretty wrappings that the Aperions come in.
What do you guys suggest as a good sub for pairing with the Studio 60v3? Will a Hsu VTF-3 do the job? Looks like a lot of people here like the SVS PC ultra, are they that much better?
None taken Dave. I am not one to push the equipment I own upon people. I have hear Paradigms and I have suggested them to people. However I usually ask the questions in terms of budget, size of the speakers. Paradigms are wonderful if you want to spend the money, if you don't Aperion's are pretty good for their price.
But of course Art would do well being in Aperion country to take a listen to them once and decide.
Stof, I have done well and listened to Aperions recently. There are so many speakers out there that I don't think I would ever buy them online. I'll leave it at that.
Could you elaborate more on the Aperions and there overall sound. Especially in comparison to the Studio v3 line form Paradigm. I know you took a brief stab at it in a previous post. But if you could expand on the comparison some more it would be great.
I'm glad you did that Art and I agree that there are too many to listen to. However going to the Hifi stores will only present so many options as well. Even the best of the Hifi stores around here carry so many brands and in that carry only so many models in the stores that you can listen too. So when an opportunity comes up with free shipping and the needs is there for new speakers, it will do well for folks who are considering it to give a listen.
I live in big city, but for some reason this isn't a Mecca for speaker manufacturers. If there was I would love to go visit their location and sample their stuff.
Apparently, you need to go to Portland, OR and find Art who has now persuaded me that if it's decent or much better audio, you can probably find it within an hour or so of Portland or central Oregon.
Seattle seems to have a pretty good Audio scene as well. As we now all know, though, Spokane WA is the "audio desert" even if we are "near nature, near perfect".
You forget, I bought the Ascends online so I've got nothing against online retailers although I know others do. Like you, I tried them and kept them but if you're looking at different gear and different set-ups, nothing beats a decent audio shop, or so I'm told since we've NONE in Spokane. LOL
To be fair to the Aperions I would rather not give very much detail. I didn't listen to them very long because it was apparent to me right away that they didn't have a good clean balanced sound. Kind of like the Paradigm Monitor series without that much refinement. So to be fair I would tell someone if they are interested in them to give them a listen themselves as they may come to a different conclusion.
Stof, I lived in the greater Chicagoland area and Rockford back in the 70's and oh my did we ever have a great rock & roll scene back then. I have very fond memories of that place. BTW it was an audio desert back then. Had to go to Madison to find gear.
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Aperion has a bass bump at the expense of the mid-range and overall clarity.
It's been tough to get an idea on which way these speakers go. If there anything like the Monitor series I will probably not like them. However I recently read a review on the 632's that they where warmer sounding speakers with a tonal balance that was pretty even. Kinda where my tastes tend to go. However I have read the opposite of this about Aperion as well.
Aperion also states that these where designed to compete with the Studio 20's directly. But who knows it's all just talk. I have been on the fences for quite some time in regards to internet direct speakers. You made a good point earlier in that there are SO MANY other speakers available in B&M stores that internet direct should not be necessary.(I think thats what you where getting at.)
My Energy C1's are good speakers but the time has come to upgrade. The Paradigm Studio 20v3's are high on my list. It seems Paradigm has tamed that bright tweeter which was in the v'2. What are your thoguhts on the new tweeter ? The other bonus with the Paradigms is that I have been with the same dealer for 10+ years and get very nice discounts. Probably looking at 700 or a little lower.
Other speakers im going to investigate are -
Dynaudio - A52 Totem - Rainmaker Energy - RC10 PSB - Stratus Mini
Art you should come back and see the new amphitheater built in Millennium park right downtown. Chicago is certainly a great place for live music, but as far as speaker manufacturers go, I don't know of any around here. Perhaps Madison or Ann Arbor.
I used to own the Studio 40v2 and 20v2 and I can say without qualification that the v3 is better in every way that counts. The tweeters are one of the "sweetest" sounding in their price range. I found the v2's to be a bit bright on some recordings, not so with the v3's. Also imaging has improved considerably. There is a reason that many manufacturers state that they have designed speakers to compete with the Studio 20's, it's because they are that good. The other speakers you are going to investigate are very good as well. Enjoy your auditioning.
Stof, I'm gettin' a bit nostalgic. I was online looking at some of the old haunts in Chitown and Rockford last night. I'm gonna have to go east some time in the next couple years.
I wish I could remember their names. I remember a place in Schaumberg where Pezband, Off Broadway USA, 41 Bakre, and all of those old Illinois bar bands played. There was a place in Rockford called "The Flight of the Phoenix" that had all of the great bands. I hung around next door at a place called Co-op Tapes and Records. I had a friend who worked there, Bob Ott, who went to school with Rick Nielsen and hung around with Rick, Ben Carlson (Bun E Carlos) and Robin. I met those guys through him and hung out. Did some drinkin' with the guy Robin replaced in Cheap Trick, Xeno. Co-op was a great place to hang out I met so many legendary rock bands there that it was amazing. Ahh the memories. BTW "The Flight of the Phoenix" was named "The Starlight" previously and was where Chicago played their first professional gig..... so legend has it.
Yeah unfortunately some of those old places are disappearing. Buddy Guy's is still cool though and you may still run into Eric Clapton or Jagger who drop by when they are in town. That's when the cell phones are working extra hard and you see a long line of people standing outside the door on say a Wednesday night in the freezing cold.