New Paradyne build
- Thread starter Jameson
- Start date
Rocketman248
Member
Looks great!
Finally getting a little time to listen to the Paradynes today. I’m using them with some KLH Model 5s, which are rated at 90.5 dB sensitivity and recommended for use with amps between 20 and 200 watts. The Paradynes obviously sit at the low end of that range but I’m sitting about ten feet away with an original BeePre’s coarse attenuator sitting at its halfway point and listening at a level slightly louder than my typical preferred volume.
I’m a bad audiophile because I don’t listen to the typical Diana Krall or Tracy Chapman songs to evaluate, but I can say with certainty that I haven’t heard Talking Heads sound like this since Dan played Remain In Light for me when we were visiting his listening room pre-purchase. Dan’s room was sound treated (and he was using his Kaiju to drive the Jagers’ tweeters with an active crossover - my Jagers are upstairs and weigh a ton so I’ll try those later), so he gets the win here, but this humble (relatively speaking ) setup would hold its own.
Detail is incredible, plenty of bass extension, a surprising amount of headroom for how inefficient these speakers are. If the kids were awake right now I’d push a bit harder, but there’s plenty of time for that.
As an added bonus, the 805As are keeping my listening space nice and warm on a chilly day in Chicago.
Feel free to ask some questions, but if you’re on the fence I can tell you this as a diehard Bottlehead fan (who admittedly has a vested interest now): these monoblocks are legit. They’re on sale for $250 off retail until the end of April.
I’m a bad audiophile because I don’t listen to the typical Diana Krall or Tracy Chapman songs to evaluate, but I can say with certainty that I haven’t heard Talking Heads sound like this since Dan played Remain In Light for me when we were visiting his listening room pre-purchase. Dan’s room was sound treated (and he was using his Kaiju to drive the Jagers’ tweeters with an active crossover - my Jagers are upstairs and weigh a ton so I’ll try those later), so he gets the win here, but this humble (relatively speaking ) setup would hold its own.
Detail is incredible, plenty of bass extension, a surprising amount of headroom for how inefficient these speakers are. If the kids were awake right now I’d push a bit harder, but there’s plenty of time for that.
As an added bonus, the 805As are keeping my listening space nice and warm on a chilly day in Chicago.
Feel free to ask some questions, but if you’re on the fence I can tell you this as a diehard Bottlehead fan (who admittedly has a vested interest now): these monoblocks are legit. They’re on sale for $250 off retail until the end of April.
BrianJS
New member
"I’m a bad audiophile because I don’t listen to the typical Diana Krall or Tracy Chapman songs to evaluate"
No, that's fine, as long as you listen to Norah Jones...
Bad news
BrianJS
New member
Ohhh, okay, second chance...Mark Knopfler/Dire Straits...
Yes, spare us all from geriatric bands. And I suppose old geezers who brag about seeing the band back in the day - David Byrne announced that SF mayor George Moscone and SF Supervisor Harvey Milk had just been assassinated by Dan White and then went into Psycho Killer. Just so happened that four or five years later I worked with George Moscone's daughter Rebecca for a short while.
marantzfan
Member
I finished my pair, and then had to fly out for work all week. Sadly, no chance to hear them yet.
Here’s one of them lit up while setting bias.
Here’s one of them lit up while setting bias.
debk
Active member
They are finished and wow are these amps heavy! The sound fantastic!
I listen mainly to two genres of music
Solo Piano (Ludeovico Einaudi is my favorite)
Prog Rock, listening to Supertramp Crime of the Century as I write this.
First the Solo Piano. The Paradyne definitely has that SET amp sweetness. Compared to my 2a3 and 45 amps it is not quite as liquid, but very close. The MonAmour amp just edges it out for this genre, but it's close.
Listening to Prog Rock, the Pardynes rule. The sound is much more powerful. Very detailed, and the bass is much more intense. The sound stage is large and holographic.
I looks forward to listening more, I am very impressed with the Paradynes.
I did make two small mods:
I replaced the 10uf parafeed cap with ClarityCap CSA capacitors. I had them in my parts bin and they're purple
I am using Psvane Acme 805 tubes instead of the stock Psvane Horizons. I listened to both, the Acme's are a bit smoother and detailed. Both tubes sound great.
Thanks for all the work you did to make this kit available!
I didn't realize how much the base on the BeePre 2 has faded. I will have to refinish it.
I listen mainly to two genres of music
Solo Piano (Ludeovico Einaudi is my favorite)
Prog Rock, listening to Supertramp Crime of the Century as I write this.
First the Solo Piano. The Paradyne definitely has that SET amp sweetness. Compared to my 2a3 and 45 amps it is not quite as liquid, but very close. The MonAmour amp just edges it out for this genre, but it's close.
Listening to Prog Rock, the Pardynes rule. The sound is much more powerful. Very detailed, and the bass is much more intense. The sound stage is large and holographic.
I looks forward to listening more, I am very impressed with the Paradynes.
I did make two small mods:
I replaced the 10uf parafeed cap with ClarityCap CSA capacitors. I had them in my parts bin and they're purple
I am using Psvane Acme 805 tubes instead of the stock Psvane Horizons. I listened to both, the Acme's are a bit smoother and detailed. Both tubes sound great.
Thanks for all the work you did to make this kit available!
I didn't realize how much the base on the BeePre 2 has faded. I will have to refinish it.
Last edited:
Thermioniclife
Member
Looking good Deb.
