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Paradigm puts its name to version 3 of its Reference Signature lineup
Sitting atop Paradigm's range of speakers is the Reference Signature series which while not cheap, have historically offered up performance that bests many speakers that cost way more. The propellerheads at Paradigm have been busy refining things and have released the third version of these speakers as, you guessed it, Reference Signature v.3. The previous two versions have set a high standard, but the third time's a charm. Paradigm engineers are promising a 3dB increase in sensitivity thanks to new driver materials, motor designs and plenty of design time using finite element analysis. That should bring plenty of sound from a handful of Watts, and hopefully will translate into some serious dynamic range when paired with an appropriate amp. Based on precedence, these should be great if you can swing the cash -- check the full details after the break and pick a winner.
Boston Acoustics VS 344 speaker dishes up lots of four on the floor
Thin is all the rage for TVs, so why not loudspeakers, too? At least that's what Boston Acoustics' VS 344 speakers hope -- the addition to the Vista VS line packs four 4.5-inch woofers alongside a 4-inch midrange and 1-inch tweeter into each slender cabinet, and the relatively tall 44-inch profile only enhances the svelte look. That's a bunch of fours in the specs that we'll just keep rolling with -- $5,000 for a set of four (but available individually). Of course, everything is an acoustic and aesthetic match to other VS speakers, with glossy cabinets capped by wood panels, Super Wide Bandwidth tweeters and Organic Composite Cone Material woofers and mids.
Boston Acoustics renames Vista speakers "VS" to avoid confusion
Engadget HD public service announcement -- the Boston Acoustics Vista speakers have nothing to do with any other products (HT-related or not) in the marketplace using the name Vista. For both of the people out there who may have been confused on that point, Boston Acoustics is renaming the entire model line "VS," to signify the speakers as "a new Vision in great Sound." The company is not making even a suggestion that Microsoft applied any pressure, which makes us even more disappointed in the new name -- the "Vista" moniker was a lot easier to remember. We hope another PSA clarifying that these speakers can do more than play a certain Pearl Jam album is not called for.
