Paradigm Reference MilleniaOne 5.0 Speakers and MilleniaSub Subwoofer Review
Let’s face it – most music lovers and movie buffs would like to own a set of full size speakers because they realize the benefits that large speaker enclosures bring to the performance table. If you’re anything like me, you’d be quick to place full size speakers in every room in your house. But reality and significant others dictate otherwise. Sensibly, smaller spaces require compact speakers. Today, the market is flooded with such lifestyle speaker systems. If you’re shopping for a compact speaker system simply by looks, then you’ve got a lot to choose from. But if you appreciate good quality sound, the pool of compact speaker systems becomes very small. So how do you know what’s good? Don’t panic – read reviews! And don’t buy anything that you can’t find reviews of, there’s very likely a reason for that.
Paradigm offers a number of smart looking, attractively priced compact speaker packages in its Cinema series, but this review isn’t about one of them. This review is about Paradigm’s latest effort to produce the highest quality sound possible from small speakers. The result is the introduction of the MilleniaOne series, the latest addition to the highly respected Paradigm Reference line. The MilleniaOne system is available in two configurations – the MilleniaOne 2.0 ($549), a two-channel speaker package, and the MilleniaOne 5.0 ($1,349), a five speaker surround package. A matching MilleniaSub subwoofer is available for $1,499.
For this review, we asked Paradigm to send us the MilleniaOne 5.0 package along with the MilleniaSub subwoofer, a system designed for both music and home theatre applications. The MilleniaOne 5.0 system consists of five identical speakers: two for the front L/R, a centre channel (placed horizontally) and two for the surround L/R. Despite what some might think, using identical speakers in a surround system is actually very desirable as it allows the system to achieve the most uniform sound. Such a system is often not possible with full size speakers in most rooms due to space limitations but it is certainly possible with a compact speaker system.
Each MilleniaOne is a 2-way speaker, with its drivers crossed over at 2.2 kHz. The high frequencies are produced by Paradigm’s 25 mm (1 inch) S-PAL satin-anodized pure-aluminum dome driver, which offers a powerful motor structure and an oversized magnet. The mid and bass frequencies come from a 102 mm (4 inch) S-PAL satin-anodized pure-aluminum dome driver. The MilleniaOne has a frequency response rated from 120 Hz to 20 KHz (±2 dB), a sensitivity of 89 dB (in room) and an impedance of 8 ohms. Paradigm recommends driving the MilleniaOne with an amplifier that has a power rating between 15 and 100 watts. The vented enclosure is constructed out of die-cast aluminum and has an integrated chassis and baffle.
Each MilleniaOne speaker measures a comfortable 19.5 cm high x 11.5 cm wide x 14.5 cm deep (7-3/4 in x 4-1/2 in x 5-3/4 in). The oblong-shaped cabinet combined with the overlapping drivers gives the MilleniaOne a very clean and distinct appearance. Paradigm gives you a choice of two finishes for the MilleniaOne, a high gloss black and a high gloss white. I was provided with the glossy black set for this review which looked gorgeous in my living room.
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