Paradigm CC-300 Centre Speaker
Canada-based Paradigm manufactures practically all the individual parts for the CC-300, which sandwiches a 1-inch dome tweeter between a pair of 6-1/2-inch clear-plastic cone woofers. The tweeter is actually squeezed slightly upward toward the top of the baffle to minimize the spacing between the woofers, with the goal of reducing the interference-induced response anomalies that can occur when two spaced drivers operate over the same frequency range.
The CC-300's black vinyl finish is competently applied and attractive in its own right, but the speaker is not the queen of this hop fashion-wise. Connections are made to strapped pairs of five-way binding posts; with the straps removed, the speaker can be biwired or biamplified.
My measurements seemed to confirm the validity of Paradigm's driver layout. Response hung within a narrow +/-3.4-dB envelope from 82 Hz to 16 kHz, and the woofers provided enough low-frequency output to maintain a +/-5.2-dB range from 31 Hz to 16 kHz at every position on the couch. The vented enclosure was tuned to 26 Hz, indicating that Paradigm intends the speaker to be capable of working full-range. Minimum impedance was 2.8 ohms at 184 Hz, which is distinctly on the low side. Sensitivity rang in at 90 dB SPL. This baby can surely be used in Pro Logic's Wide mode in nearly any system.
At 45 degrees off-axis there was an 18-dB ravine centered at 940 Hz, but it was so narrow (probably because of the close driver spacing) that most listeners in the wing seats would never notice. This is a good example of ingenious response-error management. The sound in that position was mildly hushed, reticent, and smooth - not obnoxious at all.
Meanwhile, anyone on the couch gets excellent detail, clear and articulate vocals, and an excellent "out-of-the-box" presentation with only a mild suppression of ambience. At the end of the couch the CC-300 was nearly indistinguishable from the anchor speaker with most material. Moreover, the power-handling capability of the twin 6-1/2-inch woofers meant that the anchor gave in to overload well in advance of the CC-300.
The CC-300's extended bass response also enables it to be deployed as the full-range speaker in a surround system using minispeakers at all other locations. Don't expect full-bandwidth dinosaur stomps, but average soundtracks and good old rock-and-roll ought to come through just fine. On the other hand, the dual woofers make the CC-300 relatively large and heavy.
