▶ Paradigm Monitor SE Atom

Speakers & Subwoofers [Official] Speakers / Subwoofers
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This is the official thread for the Paradigm Monitor SE Atom. This thread is for discussion and reviews.

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  • Passive
  • 8Ω
  • A- : Build Quality

:red_circle: HifiGuides Amazon link

Reviews…

Z Reviews

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I’m surprised no one on here has posted anything else about these. I’m a little curious. Zeos, I watched your video on these and you mentioned they are great for nearfield use, one of the best in this price range. How would you compare them to other speakers in this price range or higher for nearfield use? For reference, I have owned the Infinity SM65, KRK Rokit 5 G2, JBL LSR305, Polk S15, and now I currently own the Infinity R152 speakers. I’ve loved every single one, but I am looking for something different (again) and want to know how they compare. Especially against offerings like the Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2, KEF Q150, Elac UB5, and Klipsch RP-150/160M. Can you offer any help? Thanks in advance.

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I was able to setup a home theater sound system for my parents’ house. Paradigm speakers were good for our budget. I had the Phantom version 4 for tower speakers, the CC-170 for the center and ADP-170 for surround speakers. They performed well with an Onkyo receiver (I forgot the model because it was a long time ago.) I still enjoy watching movies and listening to music through that 5.1 system despite I set that system up back in 2003. It’s still my go-to listening room whenever I visit my parents today.

I expect another great sounding speaker from Paradigm without the need to break the bank. It will also stay relevant (in terms of sound quality) for many years to come.

Now, that I am set to start my own family. I am decided to bring Paradigm into my new home again. These Monitor SE speakers remind me of my old Paradigm system. I love it already.

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I’m really curious about these too, and have not found much info on them except z’s review. Just bought a emotiva a-100 for desktop and I think these or a pair of rb42 will be my first set of speakers for it. Would love an updated a/b of the two.

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That Emotiva amp is a beast. I also have the A-100 and use them to power my Infinity R152 speakers on my desktop and it sounds awesome. I am always on the lookout for other speakers though. I just love listening to how different each one is. Also, I am still trying to figure out exactly what sound it is that I like most. I sure hope someone else rings in on these speakers.

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So I’ve heard these and I can say they are better for nearfield listening, and are fairly balanced. The sound signature complements most music, and one range does not stand out imo. They also extend down for bass pretty low for their size when driven properly. I think they are just pretty neutral and not focused on a specific signature like some other speakers, and it also kinda sounds more natural and pleasing as well. They also have a fairly wide sweet spot for imaging and soundstage, and think they preform very well for imaging and above average for soundstage. I think it could be a bit more precise for placement but it’s nothing to really complain about for this price. Amp wise, it does benefit from a higher quality amp, but I don’t think its super picky and will get the job done with most amps. Its a great speaker with a neutral signature that I think is very agreeable. I think it would be fine in a room but I preferred them on a desk. I think I would pick these over others in the price range if I wanted a more neutral signature compared to something like elacs, kefs, klipsch in this price range.

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Awesome. Thanks for ringing in and giving your thoughts. Would you say you like them better on a desk compared to, let’s say, the KEF Q150, Elac UB5, or Klipsch RP-160M (that’s assuming you’ve even heard any of these)?

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Hmmm, it really depends on your preference I think. The Klipsch are going to be a more warmer, more sweetened sound compared to the atom. I think the atom is going to be the more impressive speaker technicality wise here. With the kef q150, the kef is going to have better imaging and detail here, but is also going to have a more bright and analytical signature. I think it would come down to preferences for this one but personally I would choose the kef if it was for musical enjoyment. The elac ub5 is also a somewhat more balanced sound, but it also has better technicalities than the atoms, but that being said I think the ub5’s preform better in a room rather than on a desk, so if it was for a desk I think the atom might be the better choice, but I think in a proper room setup the ub5 is a fair bit better choice

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Can someone recommend desktop stands for these <$50

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Here are some pretty cool looking ones I found from someone on Reddit:

I’ve been meaning to get some of these myself.

EDIT: Here a a few links showing them in use:

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Those look very promising!

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Indeed. Not a bad price either, even with international shipping.