Searching for the right integrated speaker brand can be a challenge. This is why Paradigm has created its concise three-tiered approach with the CI Elite, Pro and Home ranges offering superior Paradigm performance in a trio of easy-to-implement ranges to suit any type of project.
Steve Totterdell, Product Manager (High-end Audio), at Invision, says, “The Paradigm architectural speaker family makes selecting the best solution for each project straight-forward delivering confidence that whatever speaker is selected, installers will have a performance level superior to competitors with all the aesthetic advantages of an integrated speaker.
“Paradigm’s commitment to sound quality is underlined by its decades-long links with Canada’s National Research Council (NRC). Paradigm’s engineers have worked closely with researchers at the NRC carrying out hundreds of scientific tests, over decades of analysing and investigating, to discover measurable characteristics of good sound. The key audio characteristics humans respond to are a flat midrange, smooth total energy response and low distortion.
Steve continues, “These discoveries, added to the company’s R&D efforts using one of the largest and most accurate anechoic chambers in the industry (36,000-cubic-foot) and a proprietary testing and measurement system, under-pin the company’s approach to producing the best sounding integrated speakers. The result is a range with utterly uncoloured performance - based on real science and so realistically accurate, that only the performance comes through. With the V2 models across all the ranges now available, Paradigm’s proposition in this sector is now even more compelling.”
CI Home Series V2
Designed as a competitively priced, but still high-performance solution, the CI HOME series packs a powerful punch and features many trickle-down technologies from other Paradigm products, ease of installation is also a built-in factor here and the bezel-free micro-perf grille offers an incredibly discreet aesthetic.
Also included, Paradigm’s exclusive Perforated Phase-Aligning (PPA™) tweeter lens protects the tweeter dome and acts as a ‘Phase Plug’, blocking out-of-phase frequencies for smoother, extended high frequencies with lots of detail. The speakers are also ferro-fluid damped and cooled to ensure efficient high-frequency performance with strong clarity across a wide listening area.
The Stereo/Mono (SM) systems included deliver rich pure-fidelity dual-channel L/R sound from a single speaker, whilst the Dual Directional Soundfield™ achieves wider-than-normal dispersion making the speakers well suited to smaller rooms where a pair of speakers would be impractical or unnecessary.
The drivers in the 30°-Angled Guided Soundfield™ enable installers to adjust the direction of the audio, without compromising the sound dispersion pattern between drivers and baffle, thereby preserving sonic integrity. This approach makes them ideal as front speakers and as surround and/or rear speakers in a home cinema and media room.
The CI Home range also boasts high-performance mineral-filled polypropylene bass/ midrange cones partnering with computer-optimised ferrite magnets and high-power motor structures to deliver detailed performance with clean, extended bass.
In terms of ease of installation, pocketed screw holes help to hold the drill steady, and exclusive TORX-guided clamps protect against screw cam out and stripping. Rigid ABS clamps simplify and reduce installation time and ABS sandwiches and strengthens the area around the mounting hole, removing unwanted resonance and vibrations. Pre-construction brackets and square or round grille accessories held in place with neodymium magnets ensure installation flexibility as do the easy-access binding posts with large wire access holes and connection via banana plug, pin, or bare wire.
CI Pro Series V2
Stepping up the range, the CI PRO Series is manufactured in Canada and features patented technology, higher-spec components, and hallmark Paradigm sound quality.
This range features the Aluminium Magnesium Ceramic (AL-MAC™) tweeter partnering with the Perforated Phase-Aligning (PPA™) tweeter lens.
AL-MAC™ is Paradigm’s unique blend of Aluminium, Magnesium, and Ceramic materials; each of which contribute to greater accuracy and realism. These properties contribute to the final result, which is not just strong and lightweight, but embodies a natural anti-resonance to ensure the tweeter doesn’t just sound good ‘on paper’ but sounds incredible in the real world.
Also onboard, Paradigm’s exclusive CARBON-X™ Cone combines lightweight stiffness with high consistency for a greater degree of accuracy and smooth, uncoloured frequency response. The drivers also feature long excursion voice coil motors for greater power handling and reduced power compression.
The Advanced Shock-Mount™ System mechanically decouples the die-cast aluminium baskets from the specially formulated CARBON-X™ ingrained baffles reducing vibrations and resonance between the chassis and the acoustic platform. This technology mix leaves the drivers free to deliver pure, unaltered sound with no audible distortion.
In house-created and patented Active Ridge Technology (ART™) surrounds are over-moulded directly onto each cone, to achieve greater excursion for a 3dB gain in output (50% more) compared to drivers with standard surrounds.
FEA-Optimized Ultra Rigid Cast-Aluminium baskets feature integrated heat sinks for higher power handling, better bass/dynamics, and less power compression at higher volumes. Rear component shielding protects internal parts from any potential debris and the polycarbonate material creates an installation that won’t warp.
Reduced Edge Diffraction (RED™) Technology has been included to reduce the adverse effects of diffraction while improving frequency response. This range carries the same level of ease of installation delivered by the CI Home Series.
CI Elite Series V2
Sitting at the top of the range in terms of performance, the CI Elite Series V2 offers the highest level of performance for home cinema, media room or music-only systems. Offering many of the advantages of the CI Pro Series, this family delivers further refinements such as 40% more extrusion than the CI Pro range for when high performance is required. The same combination of Aluminium Magnesium Ceramic (AL-MAC™) tweeters partnering with the Perforated Phase-Aligning (PPA™) tweeter lens is included as with CI Pro offering the same audio performance enhancements.
This family adds Aluminium Magnesium (AL-MAG™) technology to the cone construction. AL-MAG™ Cones were conceived to bring an elevated level of performance to the area where human ears are the most sensitive. In addition, AL-MAG™ combines a high stiffness-to-mass ratio with superior internal damping for greater accuracy.
Also included is the same Advanced Shock-Mount™ System from the CI Pro Series, as well as enhancements such as an oversized, 1.5” High-Power Handling Voice Coil motor structure which increases maximum output level and reduces power compression.
A feature only seen in the CI Elite LCR speakers offers a Screen Compensation Mode that ensures true acoustic transparency when placed behind micro-perforated projection screens.
The Patented Active Ridge Technology (ART™) surrounds are also included on the CI Elite Series, as are the FEA-Optimized Ultra Rigid Cast-Aluminium Baskets and Rear Component Shielding. All these performance enhancements do not impact the ease of installation seen on the rest of the Paradigm CI speaker ranges.
