Tower Speaker Reviews

Subwoofer: Ultracube 12
Connections: Mono RCA line-level in
Enclosure Type: Passive radiator
Woofer (size in inches, type): 12, mineral-filled co-polymer polypropylene cone (1); 10, passive drivers (2)
Power Rating (watts): 650 (RMS), 1,500 dynamic peak
Crossover Bypass: No
Available Finishes: Black Ash
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 15 x 14.1 x 14.1
Weight (pounds): 36
Price: $999

These listings are based on the manufacturer's stated specs; the HT Labs box below indicates the gear's performance on our test bench.

Speaker: Monitor 11
Type: Two-and-a-half-way tower
Tweeter (size in inches, type): 1, titanium dome
Midrange (size in inches, type): 7.5, mineral-filled co-polymer
Woofer (size in inches, type): 7.5, carbon-infused polypropylene cones (2)
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 8
Recommended Amp Power (watts): 15–250
Available Finishes: Cherry, Rosenut, or Black Ash Vinyl Veneers
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 43.25 x 8.5 x 15.75
Weight (pounds): 54
Price: $1,199/pair

Speaker: CC-390
Type: Three-way center
Tweeter (size in inches, type): 1, titanium dome
Midrange (size in inches, type): 4.5, mineral-filled co-polymer polypropylene cone (2)
Woofer (size in inches, type): 6.5, carbon-infused polypropylene cones (4)
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 8
Recommended Amp Power (watts): 15–200
Available Finishes: Cherry, Rosenut, or Black Ash Vinyl Veneers
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 8.5 x 39 14.5
Weight (pounds): 61
Price: $599/each

Speaker: ADP-390
Type: Three-way surround
Tweeter (size in inches, type): 1, titanium dome (2)
Midrange (size in inches, type): 4.5, mineral-filled co-polymer polypropylene cone (2)
Woofer (size in inches, type): 7.5, carbon-infused polypropylene cone
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 8
Recommended Amp Power (watts): 15–75
Available Finishes: Black, White
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 9.75 x 14 x 6.75
Weight (pounds): 13
Price: $349/each

Ratings: Paradigm Monitor Series v.5 Speaker System

Build Quality: 92 Good
• Designed and built in Canada
• Pint-sized, 36-pound UltraCube 12 subwoofer feels rock solid

Value: 94 Good
• The big front and center speakers come with surprisingly small MSRPs
• The vinyl woodgrain veneers might fool you into thinking they're the real deal

Features: 90 Good
• Three-way surround and center speakers
• Designed with heightened efficiency in mind, to enhance performance capabilities with moderately priced A/V receivers

Performance: 91 Good
• They sound great played loud
• The wee surround speakers' super spacious sound creates an immersive home theater experience

Ergonomics: 88 Average
• Big and imposing speaker sizes may take a little more time to integrate into a room
• The front and center speakers' rear-mounted ports limit your placement options

Overall Rating: 91 Good
Paradigm's new v.5 Series Monitors offer incredible value for the money, especially for home theater buyers who want to listen loud.

General Information
Monitor 11 Loudspeaker, $1,199/pair; Monitor CC-390 Center-Channel Speaker, $599/each; Monitor ADP-390 Surround Speaker, $349/each; UltraCube 12 Subwoofer, $999/each
Paradigm Electronics, Inc.
(905) 632-0180
www.paradigm.com