Infinity Crescendo 3009's vs. Paradigm Studio 60

ProPerDoper

Active Member
So today I stumbled across what I felt was a pretty good deal on a set of used Studio 60's in pristine condition....$300.00

I listened to them very carefully on some great separates at the seller's home, felt they sound absolutely incredible, and proudly brought them home.

Now...mind you I already run a full matched set of Monitor series Paradigms in my main HT system, so I'm pretty familiar with the brand and have a great deal of respect for the company, their products, and value point overall.

Driving my new find home I'm anxious to see how they do against my Crescendo's for critical 2-channel listening. I connect them to my RX-Z9 receiver, do some A/B testing, and....find that I still like my Crescendo's better.

The Studio's are good, really good. They've got a unique accuracy and detail that is really, really nice. But the soundstage on my Crescendo's just jumps way out when you switch to them, and you tend to hear the separation between tones and instruments in a much more pronounced way with an airy touch than just gives them the edge. By comparison the Studio's seem more confined in their soundstage, more like a monitor I suppose.

For perspective, the Crescendo's were about $2700 new in 1993 if I recall, and the Studio 60's about $1200 in 2003. That's gotta be part of the difference in just basic engineering and construction, but I sure wish I new more about the specific differences, and what makes the Crescendo so darn good!
 
My 3007s are very good at soundstage and imaging also. The latter being the most surprising aspect, I have run them against some nice Monitor Audio GR10s and they sound better even at imaging than the Monitors but may be just slightly less detailed. However they are holding first place in my setup over some Big Klipsch and the monitors because they have a really balanced quality to their sound and I still haven't had my big amp hooked to them (except to test the drivers). A bargain at used prices these days for sure and my favorite speaker ive heard in awhile.

Your description of the 3009s sound is pretty much spot on with what Ive heard from the 3007s so far.

Thanks for your comparisons, Ive looked at the paradigm signature series several times but haven't committed to spend that kind of money yet.
 
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What's interesting to me is that almost all of the new technology in speakers feature multiple drivers of the same size, in a 2 or 2 1/2 way crossover design.

Almost all of the speakers that I really like have larger bass drivers, a smaller midrange, a tweeter, and are at least 3 way in design. I saw another poster somewhere else in this forum say that he likes listening to 3-way speakers. Wasn't sure what he meant, but I think I'm learning.

Why have all the designs gone to narrow towers with similar size drivers? Economics? Profit Margin? Save on floorspace? For HT use?

Personally, with as much used inventory around, especially those that need just a bit of TLC such as new foams, I can't understand why anyone would buy new speakers. The price point of used is so good, and so seems the technology.

Having said that I'll readily admit that there's an awful lot that I don't know. Speakin' just from my own personal experience here....
 
I haven't heard the Crescendo 3009s,yet, but I think the 3008s sound very good and quite a bit better than the Paradigm 9SE MKII (for example), however that may be no surprise:)
 
Got my Studio 60's back....

To revive an old thread, and update an ongoing saga, I traded a set of Polk Audio SDA 2's that I refurbished for my old set of Studio 60's back. I was quite pleased with the results of the SDA refurbishment. (attached)

Since I initially posted this comparison one specific change has occurred: I've gone to separates.

Now...listening to these Studio 60's powered by my B&K ST-140, I'm in love! I still have CS3009, 3008, and 3007 series Crescendo's that I intent to A/B test against these, but boy do I hear the difference separates make vs a receiver, even one as powerful as my since sold RX-Z9.

I've got an opportunity to replace my CS3009 Crescendo's with a set of Studio 80's, which means a lot of critical listening and testing between the two series of speakers to make a choice....
 

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have you driven the crescendos with your new seperates?

I have always liked paradigms, but IMO the crescendos are superior speakers.

jaz
 
have you driven the crescendos with your new seperates?

I have always liked paradigms, but IMO the crescendos are superior speakers.

jaz

Yes....I have been for a long time now, and loved them up until I just did an A/B test, CS3009 vs. Studio 60.

You gotta understand that I love the Crescendo's. For a very long time I've felt they were superior also, to just about anything in an equivalent price range. After yesterday's test, I've changed my opinion.

I think the Studio's higher quality drivers and stiffer cabinet design win out between the two. At elevated volume, (slightly elevated, not loud) the Studio's remain absolutely crisp. The CS series however seems to lose a bit of accuracy to what I suspect is cabinet resonance.

I was surprised by the results....
 
I can't speak for the Crescendo's but I do have a pair of Studio 60's (series 2). The amps I've auditioned them with are Kenwood M2, Marantz 2250, Pioneer SX-1080, Hafler DH500, Yamaha HT receiver and a Marantz SR-7200 HT. The Paradigm's really open up with the Kenwood and Hafler but anything else leaves them cramped so to speak. The SX-1080 comes close but it needs some work so I don't want to close the door on that just yet. The Yamaha is the worst. I've tried 4 different models since I've had them and they just don't seem to mix. The Yamaha does well with most any other speakers I have. I also found the 60's really like being out in the room while the others are happy with anything 12" away from the wall.

Kalman Rubinson has reviewed the Studio 60's at various times and in several of their incarnations. He's personally owned a few as well because as he states it, they just make music and will do so with no apologies with even the highest priced separates. A look at an older review of the series V will give you an idea http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/paradigm_reference_studio_60_v5_loudspeaker/ and the speakers he was comparing them to were Revel Ultima Studios. No slouch there.

So no it doesn't surprise me you like them much better with the separates. I couldn't tell you why but I've never found a Yamaha the 60's liked. You might also check out the newer series as they are now a 4 driver but still 2 1/2 way speaker. I've listened to the 80's and 100's of which the 80's just seemed to really be the best overall. However considering what I got the 60's for and the difference in price I grabbed them and never looked back!
 
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I can't speak for the Crescendo's but I do have a pair of Studio 60's (series 2). The amps I've auditioned them with are Kenwood M2, Marantz 2250, Pioneer SX-1080, Hafler DH500, Yamaha HT receiver and a Marantz SR-7200 HT. The Paradigm's really open up with the Kenwood and Hafler but anything else leaves them cramped so to speak. The SX-1080 comes close but it needs some work so I don't want to close the door on that just yet. The Yamaha is the worst. I've tried 4 different models since I've had them and they just don't seem to mix. The Yamaha does well with most any other speakers I have. I also found the 60's really like being out in the room while the others are happy with anything 12" away from the wall.

Kalman Rubinson has reviewed the Studio 60's at various times and in several of their incarnations. He's personally owned a few as well because as he states it, they just make music and will do so with no apologies with even the highest priced separates. A look at an older review of the series V will give you an idea http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/paradigm_reference_studio_60_v5_loudspeaker/ and the speakers he was comparing them to were Revel Ultima Studios. No slouch there.

So no it doesn't surprise me you like them much better with the separates. I couldn't tell you why but I've never found a Yamaha the 60's liked. You might also check out the newer series as they are now a 4 driver but still 2 1/2 way speaker. I've listened to the 80's and 100's of which the 80's just seemed to really be the best overall. However considering what I got the 60's for and the difference in price I grabbed them and never looked back!

Excellent info....

It's very interesting that you liked the 80's overall. Just yesterday I traded my beloved Crescendo CS3009's which I refurbished/re-stained in Red Mahogany just like the SDA's shown in the past posting, to my good friend for a minty set of Studio 80's v 1. (He also threw in a 6' set of Monster Z series bi-wire cables that are heavier than the jumper cables on my car :D , and three separate CD players: Sony X22ES, Adcom GCD 700, & Onkyo Integra DX3800) It was a great trade.

I'm stunned by the performance of my new 80's paired with an Adcom GFA 555 II + GFP 565 pre.

They're everything I had hoped for in terms of clarity, dynamics and imaging, and much more of a wide soundstage vs. the 60's. Sounds like there's a center speaker playing especially with vocals!

I am lovin it. So pleased.

If I need to hear that good old Crescendo forward sound I still have a set of 3008's in the garage system that will fill the need. For my office/gym set up however, it will be very hard to displace the 80's.

BTW... you might find it interesting that I recently purchased a full set of Axiom Epic 60's. They were new in box sitting in a sellers garage for 2 years at $2200, $1k under the internet sales price.

These are great home theater speakers. The balance that this all-matched system produces with effects and tone is uncanny. I've been very pleased, right up and until I did an A/B test of the M60 towers vs. the Studio 60's on music, which I was anxious to do given the many comparisons of the Axioms to the Studio's online. The Studio's won out fairly significantly in dynamics, clarity, and were much more musical. The Studio's were brighter and much more airy. The Axioms had more of a monitor sound and lacked slightly in mids and even more in highs. They're still awesome HT speakers, but for music Paradigm gets the nod from me....
 
The Paradigm is actually a better speaker, sound production wise, but the big CS are, well, very big! If you had a big JBL monitor, with a big super efficient 15" woofer, 10" mid-bass and a big horn, with slot tweeter, you would have even bigger!

Long ago I had something like this with an 18" Gauss, which would make anyone deaf!
 
To revive an old thread, and update an ongoing saga, I traded a set of Polk Audio SDA 2's that I refurbished for my old set of Studio 60's back. I was quite pleased with the results of the SDA refurbishment. (attached)

you made those Polks look way better than they normally would, nice job...I like the way they sound but have always been meh on their design...
 
you made those Polks look way better than they normally would, nice job...I like the way they sound but have always been meh on their design...

Nice compliment....thanks! Since the SDA's I've recently done a complete refurb on a set of SDA CRS bookshelves which just sold on eBay. They came out gorgeous in their original finish, and if you ask me they sounded better than the SDA 2's. Better imaging and dispersion.

The timing of your post is interesting too as tomorrow I'm picking up another pair of SDA 2's. Apparently in very good shape albeit in need of at least one driver replacement.

Looking forward to doing another set....:thmbsp:
 
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