Where to hear ATC speakers

tomic601
Since the TREO CTs don't require a high-pass filter, there isn't the need to mess with the Naim's output, as there would be with the Quatro Wood CTs (that I think sound great).
I have an NAP300 partnered with an NAC252/Supercap. Since the Naim uses "non-standard" interconnects and different signal handling than other brands, Naim strongly suggests keeping the Naim hierarchy intact -- so no filters/adapters between the amp and preamp, etc. Since I don't want to change my electronics and given the price of the Quatro CTs, I think my best bet is to get my 3.6s repaired. IMO I can get comparable performance to the much more expensive Quatros by keeping my 20+ year old 3.6s. I've been dragging my feet in taking the next step because it means lots of effort taking out my drivers, having them rebuilt, and working on the crossovers, but after enjoying the Thiels for so long, I guess I owe it to them to do the repairs !

Hmm, if you are now looking at Sabrinas, you’d rather compare to the SCM100As!

 @rosami Certainly a path to get your Thiel fixed and they are wonderful! I am sure your naim gear provide that jump factor
you have already violated the naim game keep it all in the family philosophy with heresy Thiel ....the filters for the Vandersteen are not going to get in the way IMO
have fun enjoy the music !!!
jim

@ahofer. There is quite an active group of Thiel followers/owners here - yes your speakers have value certainly- you owe it to yourself to listen to the Vandersteen also IMO
have fun listening, enjoy the music, grace and peace on ya
jim

  (I posted this same comment in an older, Paradigm-related thread)

I want to thank Dave from Audio Doctor ("Audiotroy") for letting me listen to KEFs (3R) and Paradigms (Persona 3f) last night, mostly with the Naim Uniti Nova DAC/amp. There aren't many places where you can try a lot of great brands (including schlepping heavy speakers around) in a relaxed environment, and he offers that. If I buy something he carries, I'll try to route the order through him. I think we have to support places that let you listen.

I found the resolution and soundstage of the Paradigms to be extraordinary. You can hear the wood of the solo viola, and the movement of cymbals when struck, the voices and locations of individual string instruments (even low strings) in ensemble, clear as a bell. I don't think it's a speaker for big bass, but that's not a huge priority for me. I like the impression of the ensemble or orchestra laid out in front of me, life-size as possible.

My only reservations were a) I don't find them terribly attractive visually, and more importantly, b)possible longer-term listening fatigue. The Paradigms came off as a little hot in the treble, to me. Dave disagrees, in person and in this thread above.
Doubting my aging ears, I looked up test bench measurements last night. Multiple measured (on-axis) frequency responses of both the 3F (and 5F) are certainly consistent with what I heard, showing a substantial bump from 5-12khz:

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/paradigm-persona-3f-speaker-system-review-test-bench

They were toed in a bit, and if you look around you'll read a bunch of reviewers/users are setting them up facing straight ahead to avoid an overly bright presentation.   I'd like to listen to them against the KEF Ref 1 (and maybe 3), and try the off-axis set-up this time. Apart from the brightness, I think the Paradigms are *very* stiff competition for the much more expensive Wilson Sabrina.

The KEF 3Rs are a really nice speaker. Not quite up to the resolution and soundstage size of the Paradigms, but a great value for much less, and great looking (in Walnut particularly). I think you could spend a lot of happy listening hours with them, and I suspect it would be hard to do better at that price point, at least from my limited experience.

I still wouldn't mind listening to PSB T3, Monitor Audio, Vandersteen. The latter is a longer drive, and the former two would seem to require mail order trial, which is a schlep with such heavy units.
One possible wild card:

I have a pair of JBL L830s in my country place. My son bought them for me after blowing out their predecessors (Mirage). I am often very pleasantly surprised with these little $400 speakers. There is no good listening position in this (angular,open-plan, 1968, architect-designed) house, but the horn covers a huge part of the frequency range smoothly and sweetly (never really been a horn guy before), they throw a decent image from a variety of listening spots, and they have surprising bass response (I ended up getting rid of the subwoofer). It makes me wonder what the $10k S3900s can do with a similar design. JBL is pretty mass market now, but I have some fond youth memories of them....