Specs & Pricing

Future
TAS
Chris Martens
Sunfire Cinema Ribbon Mini
Loudspeaker
Veteran audiophiles might recall the
floorstanding, hybrid ribbon/dynamic driverequipped
Carver Amazing Loudspeakers,
designed by the legendary Bob Carver. Now,
history repeats itself with Sunfire’s release of
the Carver-designed Cinema Ribbon Mini
(CRM) loudspeakers, priced at $800 each.
While the Carver Amazings of yesteryear
were large (roughly five feet tall), the CRMs
are essentially high-output mini-monitors
whose enclosures are not much larger than
cube-shaped boxes of tissues. Maximum
output for the pint-sized CRMs is specified at a
whopping 115dB.
Despite the speakers’ compact dimensions,
the CRMs’ waveguide-loaded ribbon tweeter
offers as much surface area as did the tall,
slim, early-generation ribbon drivers of the old
Amazings. Complementing the CRMs’ ribbon
driver is a pair of side-firing, long-throw 4.5"
woofers. The CRMs’ bass rolls off at a relatively
high 95Hz, but users can easily enjoy fullrange
bass response by adding any of Sunfire’s
compact, high-output True Series subwoofers.
In a brief demonstration, the CRMs largely
lived up to Sunfire’s promise that the little
monitors would sound like “floorstanding
speakers—without the floor.” Readers whose
systems do double-duty for music and film
playback will be interested to know that Sunfire
also offers a companion center-channel speaker
called the CRM-2C, which sells for $800.
sunfire.com
ATC Entry-Level Loudspeakers
The British firm ATC has released a new “Entry Series” of 2- and 3-way passive monitors. Bob Pulley,
ATC Director of Operations, says the “new speakers feature a number of subtle and substantial
improvements, as a result of ATC’s in-house research program, and the availability of new materials,
giving a considerable gain in overall performance.”
The Entry Series range consists of three 2-way, stand-mount monitors of progressively larger enclosure
volumes, plus a 3-way floorstanding model. The range includes the SCM7 ($1150/pair), SCM11 ($1900/
pair), SCM19 ($3300/pair), and SCM40 ($4400/pair). All Entry Series models feature what ATC terms
“monocoque cabinet construction,” stepped baffles with curved edges for low diffraction, and new 1"
soft-dome tweeters with neodymium magnet assemblies and a solid aluminum waveguide for smooth
high-frequency dispersion. The more costly models also incorporate ATC’s “Super Linear Technology”
mid/bass drivers, developed for ATC’s active monitors.
atc.gb.net
Paradigm updates Reference Signature and
Studio Series
Paradigm’s Signature and Studio Series loudspeakers have been
well received by the staffs of The Absolute Sound and The Perfect
Vision, and Paradigm has just made substantial improvements to
both product families.
The former Studio speakers have been upgraded to Studio v4
status. All Studio v4 speakers get the G-PAL (gold-anodized pure
aluminum) dome tweeters previously reserved for Paradigm’s
upscale Signature models. The Studio v4s also incorporate new
S-PAL (satin-anodized pure aluminum) mid/bass drivers, said to
be more open-sounding than the mica-loaded polymer drivers
previously used. Finally, the Studio v4 range introduces two new
models: the Eclipse (L/R) and Eclipse C (center channel) speakers.
Similarly, the former Signature speakers have been upgraded
to Signature v2 status. All Signature v2 models receive new
beryllium-dome tweeters and cobalt-infused aluminum mid/bass
drivers. For the first time ever, the Signature v2 range includes an
S6 model that slots into the lineup between the stand-mount S4
monitors and the flagship S8 floorstanders.
Though changes in both lines are mechanically and sonically
significant, prices have increased only a modest amount. For
example, the original Signature S8 speakers were priced at about
$6500/pair, while the new S8 v2s will sell for about $6700/pair.
paradigm.com
22 December 2006 The Absolute Sound