Skip to main content

Paradigm reveals its most ambitious speakers yet, plus a pair of sound bars

Earlier this year, we had a chance to take a look at Paradigm’s Concept 4F series of speakers, and walked away more than impressed. That series left Paradigm with a tough act to follow, but it might have done it with its new Persona by Paradigm series, which was announced at CEDIA alongside a pair of new sound bars.

Paradigm calls the Persona series its most ambitious design to date, thanks in part to its use of beryllium, one of the highest-quality speaker components available. The material is both lighter and more stiff than other speaker materials, making for better transient response — think snare drums, hand claps, and similar sounds — and crisper highs. All models also feature Perforated Phase-Aligning (PPA) driver lenses, which block out of phase frequencies, offering improved sound stage and overall transparency.

Recommended Videos

“We were able to transform what began as a bold concept speaker into a renaissance for the brand,” Paul Grove, Paradigm senior vice president of global sales and marketing, said in a statement. “After receiving rave reviews about our Concept 4F, which debuted at Munich High End 2015, we knew we had something special, and the foundation to create the best-sounding speakers we’ve ever produced.”

The cabinets used in the Persona series are crafted in Canada, and are braced and dampened in order to reduce cabinet resonance. In addition to making for better sound, the cabinet design has a sleek, automotive-inspired look that should fit well with most decor. The Persona series is available in four finishes: Vanta High Gloss Black, Harmony High Gloss White, Aria Metallic Blue, and Sonic Metallic Silver.

Both of the new sound bars are 46 inches, and are esigned to work with 55-inch and up TVs. The PW Soundbar is the newest model in the Paradigm Premium Wireless Series, and includes HDMI and DTS Play-Fi support, allowing it to pair with other speakers in the Premium Wireless series. HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2 are supported, with 4K/60P passthrough.

The specs for Paradigm’s new Soundplay sound bar are the same, though it lacks HDMI and Play-Fi. Both sound bars offer a total of 135 watts of power across the nine built-in amplifiers, as well as both DTS Digital Surround and Dolby Digital Sound processing. The sound bars also support Bluetooth connectivity as well as IP control over LAN or Ethernet connections.

“When you don’t have room for five discrete loudspeakers, you want believable surround-sound from a single soundbar,” Justin Bright, Paradigm director of marketing and digital technology, said. “With the new PW Soundbar and Soundplay, we’re able to offer a surprisingly convincing surround-sound performance, no matter what size room our customer is working with.”

The Persona series is comprised of seven models, ranging from the $3,500 Persona B passive bookshelf speaker to the Persona 9H Flagship hybrid floor standing speaker, which retails for $17,500 each. The sound bars are more affordable, with the PW Soundbar selling for $1,300, while the Soundplay can be had for $900. The Persona series will being shipping to Paradigm retailers in November, while the two sound bars are expected to begin shipping in early 2017.

Kris Wouk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
QLED markdown: Score the 65-inch Sony Bravia 7 while it has a $600 discount
Sony Bravia 7 Review

Sony makes some of the best TVs on the market in 2025, and most of the latest and greatest models (first announced at CES) haven’t even hit shelves yet! This means you’ll be able to score midrange and premium 2024 models for super-good prices, especially when there’s a sale.

As luck would have it, the Sony 65-inch Bravia 7 Series 4K QLED is marked down to $1,400 from its original price of $1,900.

Read more
This limited time AirPods Max deal slashes $70 off the price
Apple AirPods Max with USB-C in Starlight.

Shopping around for a pair of noise-canceling headphones can be a little daunting. One recommendation we would like to make is to try and stick with a brand you already own some devices from. As a matter of fact, if you own one or more Apple devices, you’re an excellent candidate for the Apple AirPods Max. 

These premium ANC headphones received a USB-C overhaul in 2024, and today these Apple cans are discounted to $480. The full MSRP on these over-ears is $550. 

Read more
What is HDMI 2.2? Everything you need to know
The rear of the Onn 4K Pro Streaming Device has a reset button, Ethernet port, HDMI port, USB-A port, and a barrel power connector.

Officially announced at CES 2025, HDMI 2.2 is the next-generation HDMI standard that promises to double available bandwidth for higher resolution and refresh rate support, and will require a new cable to support these new standards. It will also bring with it advanced features for improved audio and video syncing between devices.

But the new cable isn't coming until later this year, and there are no signs of TVs supporting the new standard yet. Here's everything you need to know about HDMI 2.2.
What can HDMI 2.2 do?
The standout feature of HDMI 2.2 is that is allows for up to double the bandwidth of existing Ultra High Speed HDMI cables using the HDMI 2.1 protocol. HDMI 2.2 is rated for up to 96 Gbps, opening up support for native 16K resolution support without compression, or native 4K 240Hz without compression. Throw DSC on and it should support monitors up to 4K 480Hz or 8K in excess of 120Hz.

Read more