Paradigm Classic Surround 3

Overview
The Paradigm Classic Surround 3 is a great example of the right approach to speaker design. It uses a similar bass/mid driver as found in the Monitor 7 design and shares the same spider and voice coil former as found in the more expensive Monitor 9. The same approach applies to the Tweeter. The two 25mm Dome Tweeters used in the Surround 3 are identical in every respect to the Tweeter used in the Monitor 9. In fact, all the products in the Monitor series utilise this same Tweeter design which significantly contributes to cost-efficiencies at manufacturing level.

As soon as you see the Surround 3, you will see that Scott Bagby (Paradigm Co-Founder) takes surround sound speaker design seriously. This Canadian designed surround speaker is a bi-directional radiator with the sound being delivered to both sides, creating a superb wide and open surround sound effect. The Surround 3's are well constructed and come complete with heavy duty gold-plated speaker wire binding posts. They should be aligned at either side of your main listening position. You will love how their sound field will wrap around the back of your room.

The Building Blocks: Monitor Drivers
First seen in the Paradigm Reference lineup, the advanced S-Pal satin-anodized pure-aluminum bass/midrange cones deliver very high stiffness-to-mass ratio and outstanding internal damping. The result? Remarkable midrange clarity, superb extended bass response and freedom from unwanted resonances and distortions. In an affordable audio category – unbelieveable quality!

Advanced S-Pal Satin-Anodized Pure-Aluminum Dome Tweeters: These include powerful neodymium magnets and ferro-fluid cooling for increased power handling! Highs are more soaring and spacious, crystal clear and undiluted even at the higher bandwidths.

Wire Mesh Tweeter Guard and WaveGuide: More Reference technology, ensuring a smooth, wide panorama of audiophile-quality sound. Wire mesh protection for the pure-aluminum tweeter.

Sophisticated Crossovers In An Affordable Audiophile Product: Again, it’s almost unheard of: polypropylene film or bipolar electrolytic capacitors, air core and laminated core inductors, high-power resistors. Crossover topologies are first and second-order with corresponding acoustic slopes of second and third-order providing optimal bandwidth and seamless integration as drivers cross over.

Long-Travel Motor/Magnet Structures: Despite fewer drivers than in previous series’, floorstanding and center channel speakers actually plumb deeper. This is, in part, attributable to the advanced motor/magnet structures: high-temperature copper or aluminum wire voice coils (varies by model) wound on Kapton formers, oversized magnets with all components FEA-optimized.

Foam-Rubber Elastomer Surrounds: Reference Studio Series geometry helps achieve that play loud AND play deep effect by allowing longer, expertly controlled cone travel.

In The News
"The Surround 3s did a remarkable job of imaging with this effect -- my eyes and ears were able to follow the sound behind, in front of, and to the sides of me. It really did sound as if a fly were in my room! In the rain scenes of Captain America, the Surround 3s were able to pull sound toward the front of the room to create a seamless soundfield." - Soundstage Experience.

Benefits Of Dipole Surround/Rear Speakers
Dipole surround/rear speakers will appeal to the audiophile eager for an affordable high-end home theatre or multi-channel music experience. Paradigm’s high-performance surround speakers have a number of sonic benefits and one major one is their relatively compact dimensions. The low-profile is application-friendly and perfectly suited for today’s multi-purpose listening spaces. In recording studios, discrete multichannel mixing is the order of the day. Bi-directional in nature, the new coherent surround technology reproduces the surround experience exactly as the sound engineers envisioned. The speakers add size and dimension to the soundstage while enveloping you in non-localised sound. The bi-directional technology also ensures extreme placement flexibility! It is more forgiving in areas where room dimensions, characteristics and/or room configuration (or all of these!) may not be optimal for a music and home theatre installation. In multi-use rooms where traditional surround speaker placement is neither possible or practical, Dipole surround speakers like these from Paradigm should be your first choice. We call them surrounds, but of course, they’re also ideal as rear speakers in any setup.

Features & specifications

Design: 4-driver, 2-way bi-directional surround/rear
Crossover: 2nd-order electro-acoustic at 2.3 kHz
High-Frequency Drivers: Two 25mm (1") S-PAL™ dome tweeters, ferro-fluid cooled and damped
Bass / Midrange Drivers: Two 140mm (5-1/2") S-PAL™ cones, 25-mm (1") voice-coils, oversize ceramic / ferrite magnets, GRIP™ chassis
Low-Frequency Extension*: 53 Hz (DIN)
Frequency Response: ±2 dB from 90 Hz - 20 kHz (bi-directional soundfield)
Sensitivity - Room / Anechoic: 90 dB / 87 dB
Suitable Amplifier Power Range: 15 - 175 Watts
Maximum Input Power: 120 Watts RMS clean power for short periods
Impedance: Compatible with 8 Ohms
Dimensions (HxWxD): 270 x 330 x 168 mm
Weight (unpacked): 6.32 kg each
Finishes: Black
Designed in Canada
Warranty: 5-Years (Conditional)
* DIN 45 500. Indicates -3 dB in a typical listening room

Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE.