old skool Paradigm vs. Klipsch which would you buy?

[SQCherokee]

If you were looking to buy some used speakers and you had these two options (as I do) which would you prefer?

Paradigam Phamtom for $100?
or
Klipsch KG4.2 for $200

These are not the exact speakers I am looking at buying but this is a link to refresh those who don't recall what the older klipsch speakers looked like.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Klipsch-KG-4-2-s...3A1%7C294%3A50

I havn't had a chance to listen to them but from reviews I've read they both seem really good.
The things I have heard so far is that some people think that the klpisch speakers lack some mid range.

While others think that the phantoms don't have enough low end.
I don't like the fact that you can't remove the grill on the phantoms.

Thanks for any input.
Brian

[tommyboy1587]

I would definitely get the Klipsch, but I'm bias towards them...... This is the third Klipsch setup I've owned, and I highly doubt I'll ever go with another brand

[tommyboy1587]

You should post this on the Klipsch Forum. And no, it won't be bias towards Klipsch. There's a lot of members on there with A LOT of experience with different speakers/manufacturers, etc.

[SQCherokee]

so i went back to listen yesterday...the paradigams both had blown tweeters. So I am geting the Klipsch speakers. They are in perfect condition and the guy let me put them on lay away since i didn't have the full ammount yesterday. So I will have them next week. Also they dropped the price since the speakers I originaly wanted to buy didn't work.

[tommyboy1587]

Sweet! Everything happens for a reason, right?

[SQCherokee]

totaly agree...I will say though after listening to them I am a Klipsch convert...My opinion of klipsch speakers as a kid was formed by my dad who thought it was impressive that the old khorns could be powered by an alarm clock because they were so efficent...but he said they didn't sound that good. (as I research them now that im in my late 20's it seems that hes the only person in history that didn't like them.)

other klipsch experiences were with friends who just didn't know how to set their stuff up right. you know...people who think that stadium setting on the reciver makes a movie sound better.

I like the 4.2's and I can't wait to go pick them up this week.

[Natas]

Klipsch all the way! I love my vintage Klipsch speakers!! Paradigm speakers sound good, but I think the Klipsch is def. better.

[SQCherokee]

Got the klipshes home tonight. Wow do they sound good. Way better than the old Aiwa shelf system speakers I used before.

I got home late so havn't been able to do alot of listening...but I checked out the bank robbery and parking garage scenes on the dark knight...and man am i impressed. this was just at a lower volume level but theres absolutly no harshness to these speakers and even at low volumes the 10's and built in passives sound really full and powerful. Tomorrows my really short day at work so I will have hours and hours to play with it before my neighbors get home.

they sound pretty good with TV too...switched to ESPN for the last of the missouri game and it sounds good with that to. I may switch the optical cable from my DVD player to my TV for the bowl games this week.

I'll report more tomorrow as I listen more.

[SQCherokee]

I will start by saying wow!
What beautiful sound.

Music
The first music I listned to...I found my wifes Brooks and Dunn CD that I put in my case the last time I drove her car. The opening track is Maria...the opening accoustic guitar strums, drum clicks, and slides on the hand drums all stand out. Very wide sound stage and thats with the speakers not very spread out. I've since rearanged the living room abit so they can be spaced out further.

I don't like any of the enhancers on the yamaha reciver...so I leave it on the 2ch music "straight" setting, theres an "enhanced" setting that is primarily designed to restore bass that is lost in MP3 conversion...I do notice that it changes the mids and highs and makes everything not as clean...but it does not nessicarily make everything sound bad. I switched to enhanced to see what it would sound like...and for the first time in my life I "felt" kickdrum in a home 2ch system that didn't have an active subwoofer.

I used to compete in car audio Sound Quality competitions and in 2003 I was given by USACI a copy of the Focal test disc from that year. Its alot of jazz and accoustic tracks that are recorded at 0Db so they have exceptional SQ with no noise.

One of the tracks is a Jazz version of Jammin by bob marly. In this recording you can hear the indistinct murmur of the musicians talking to each other about the next verse...only time before these speakers that I heard this was when I listned to Gary Biggs Championship Buick Regal http://www.jbl.com/car/featured/installs/buick.aspx

I am so impressed with the musical detail, SQ, staging, depth of staging, I'm so used to speakers that have a strong transition from one driver to the next...but these blend so smoothly that at first I thought the horns were not working.

can't find my michael buble CDs...will keep looking for them tomorrow.

Movies
For some reason my reciver is stuck with the speakers being set to large...which is ok...I set the crossover to 80hz just to be on the safe side.

War of the worlds was up first. All the parts of this movie that are used to test speakers...the lightning, the pod emerging, humming, and zapping, the dust of the people...all of it was there in the fullest detail I have yet heard. Full boddied tight controlled thumps. Theres something to be said for passive radiators.

Next was Cassino Royale. The crane chase...the music was full and rich, all the subtle effects were distinct, gunshots sounded like gunshots. The part were he shoots the bomb maker and blows up the propane tank...very impressive detail in the sound of the gun shots, the sound of the bomb maker being hit, and the bullet hitting the tank.

3rd I watched parts of the simpsons movie, lots of dialog with familiar voices. Good sound stage, voices sound smooth and natural.

I'll report more tomorrow...I plan to more listening tomorrow if any of the bowl games get boring.

[Natas]

Congrats!! I knew you would love Klipsch!