
- #Paradigm shift soundbar drivers#
- #Paradigm shift soundbar full#
- #Paradigm shift soundbar Bluetooth#
#Paradigm shift soundbar drivers#
Nine identical 2.5-inch drivers are grouped into clusters of three, one each for the left, center, and right channels. The PW Soundbar itself is a sleek but unassuming black bar, proportioned to match well visually with a typical 50- to 60-inch TV. For this review, I paired the PW Soundbar with a couple of Paradigm’s own PW 600 bookshelf speakers working as surrounds, and I also connected the wireless subwoofer link to my trusty M&K Sound MX-350 subwoofer. Soundbars often have a tough time creating a convincing surround effect, but with Play-Fi you can wirelessly add a physical pair of compatible speakers to handle the surround duties and/or a separate subwoofer to extend the bass output.

And since Play-Fi is an open standard embraced by a variety of manufacturers, you can mix and match brands and price points when outfitting your home with wireless speakers. Unlike other wireless hookups such as Bluetooth, Play-Fi can stream uncompressed audio at up to 96 kilohertz with 24-bit resolution over Wi-Fi, so you don’t need to make excuses for the sound quality of the link. Key among the PW Soundbar’s features is compatibility with DTS’s Play-Fi, a high-resolution multiroom wireless protocol that lets you add more speakers that can work in harmony with the bar. There’s even a sophisticated room-correction system that comes with its own test microphone.
#Paradigm shift soundbar full#
For example, it offers a full array of hardwired inputs plus a whole slew of wireless hookup options. Paradigm’s PW Soundbar aims to change that, by giving you a one-box solution that includes many of the features you’d normally find in a big component-based rig. In the process, however, many of these soundbars have lost a lot of the flexibility and functionality of a more conventional system, with limited connectivity and no fancy features like room correction or a comprehensive display to show you what the heck is going on.
#Paradigm shift soundbar Bluetooth#
Big component-based entertainment systems with multiple speakers connected to a rack full of electronics have been condensed down to single-box solutions, stuffing all of the speakers, amplifiers, and preamp functions into a single soundbar or Bluetooth speaker. Ten years ago, I would have stuffed my bag with gizmos, from my digital camera, camcorder, radio, and laptop to an alarm clock, a GPS device, and my trusty compass (hey, I’m an Eagle Scout, always prepared).Ĭonsolidation has also been rampant in home audio. I just returned from a two-week trip to Europe, and the only tech device I took with me was my iPhone. But when it comes to consumer electronics, consolidation can be a wonderful thing.

Just ask the guy who pays through the nose for 2,000 cable channels he’ll never watch, or the guy who has tried to make a mini-sized bag of peanuts last through a six-hour transcontinental flight on one of the four remaining major U.S.

For example, with big corporations, consolidation often means less competition, which can be a bummer for the consumer. Consolidation is one of those things that can be either a good deal or a bad deal, depending on the context.
