Bookshelf Speaker Reviews

Paradigm Prestige 15B Speaker System Review Test Bench

Test Bench

Satellite Sensitivity: 86 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

Center Sensitivity: 89.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

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This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the Prestige 15B satellites (purple trace), Seismic 110 subwoofer (blue trace), and Prestige 45C center channel (green trace). All passive loudspeakers were measured with grilles at a distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input and scaled for display purposes.

The Prestige 15B’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +4.64/–1.19 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3dB point is at 60 Hz, and the –6dB point is at 52 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.55 ohms at 193 Hz and a phase angle of –49.38 degrees at 5.9 kHz.

The Prestige 45C’s listening-window response measures +2.68/–2.13 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal responses measures +2.82/–2.38 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3dB point is at 86 Hz, and the –6dB point is at 72 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.17 ohms at 1.1 kHz and a phase angle of –56.89 degrees at 108 Hz.

The Seismic 110’s close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3dB point is at 18 Hz and the –6dB point is at 16 Hz. The upper –3dB point is at 181 Hz with the Cut-Off Frequency control set to maximum.—MJP

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Paradigm Electronics
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COMMENTS
twm1988's picture
Submitted by twm1988 on May 16, 2015 - 9:23am

Hi Mark, I’ve been waiting for Sound and Vision to post a review of the Prestige series for a while and was hoping you’d be the person to do it seeing as your reference’s have been Studio 20’s for a long time.

Seems like the Prestige outperform the Studio’s in most if not all sonic areas, but I’m also curious how the Prestige compare to the Dynaudio Excite X14’s and center you reviewed a while ago. You mentioned in that review that the only time you missed your Studio’s was during some orchestral music. Would the Dynaudio Excites be in the same league as the Prestige’s in terms of detail resolution, transparency/neutrality, imaging, and soundstage width/depth?

Thanks for any info you can give Mark, and thanks for another excellent review.

Mark Fleischmann's picture
Submitted by Mark Fleischmann on June 3, 2015 - 3:50pm
Thanks for your vote of confidence! I reviewed the Paradigms and Dynaudios about a year apart, so when I got to the Paradigms, I didn't have a recent memory of the Dynaudios to work with. I have a pretty good idea of how my Paradigm Studio 20 reference speakers sound because I return to them on a regular basis. Others come and go, and I rely on the published text and measurements as much as you do. My general impression of both manufacturers, gathered over the years, is that Dynaudio prefers a warmer sound, while Paradigm goes for more detail, but that kind of crude generalization may hurt more than it helps.
twm1988's picture
Submitted by twm1988 on June 5, 2015 - 9:09am

Hey Mark, thanks for the info it does help. I had auditioned Dynaudio Focus 110’s a couple years ago and did also find them a bit too warm. I was just curious about the Excites as the Focus series are now being discontinued and I have never heard the Excites before.

I do favor a neutral speaker with more detail resolution, so long as it’s still refined and not on the bright/harsh side of things. I think I can probably turn my attention elsewhere than the Excites now. I will definitely have a listen to the Prestige’s, along with Revel’s Performa3 M105 which I have heard are a near perfectly neutral speaker as well, without being bright or fatiguing. The Prestige and Performa are probably more fair to compare against each other.

If the Prestige’s add in an Atmos capable version in the near future, would that be enough to push you to upgrade to them from your Studio 20’s?

Thanks for the help again Mark!

Mark Fleischmann's picture
Submitted by Mark Fleischmann on June 5, 2015 - 9:21am
I might go for something more neutral than the Prestige -- that's the chief strength of the Studio 20. I'd also like to get more bass extension so that the speaker can play full-range on occasion. Both the Prestige and the Studio 20 are fine down to my usual sub crossover of 80 Hz but after that they roll off considerably.
twm1988's picture
Submitted by twm1988 on June 5, 2015 - 2:52pm

That's interesting the Prestige's are a bit colored, I would assume the Signature series from Paradigm are much more balanced, though well out of my budget.

Have you heard any of the Revel Performa's Mark? Any reviews I read praise them for their neutrality and balance.

Mark Fleischmann's picture
Submitted by Mark Fleischmann on June 5, 2015 - 4:09pm
I've been meaning to do Revel but our other reviewers keep beating me to it. I hope to get a monitor in for review eventually. The only Revel I've reviewed in the past was one of the first-generation towers and that was for another publication.
twm1988's picture
Submitted by twm1988 on June 8, 2015 - 1:19pm

Well I’d be very interested in a review of the Revel bookshelf’s. Luckily my local Paradigm dealer also carries Revel speakers as well, so I will try and get a demo of them sometime soon, maybe see if I can take them both home for a couple days to try with my setup & equipment.

I was also talking with my Dynaudio dealer and I mentioned that I may not be so interested in the Excites anymore, and he suggested I come in and have a listen to the ATC SCM 7 that they carry. Says it’s not as warm as the Dynaudio’s, and is more neutral and detailed but not fatiguing. So there’s another one I will check out too.

Anyway, thanks for your help Mark, and I hope they send a set of Performa’s for you to review sometime!

GG's picture
Submitted by GG on October 9, 2015 - 6:38am

Hi Mark. Thanks for this review, especially the update on the little bulldog sub! I'm finally considering some money on subwooferage and would love to know what you think about the Seismic in a room that is ~2800 cu ft? Would it be too little sub for movies/music? Or is that room size fine for a powerful 10 incher like this one? There are cheaper subwoofer alternatives with larger drivers but I'm getting a very good deal on this + PBK kit so I'm leaning toward it. Thanks!

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