Went shopping in Singapore from overseas.
Read the reviews and went to hear the product.

Looks good and sounds above average for it's price range. Unfortunately I also heard some bad noises during the audition.

Did not buy the product.

Heard another Centre Speaker manufactured in Malaysia for Robertson Audio. Sounds very much better at near half the price! Not well known speaker but should be better known in the near future.

Did not buy this product either as I got a real good deal for something else more expensive e.g Monitor Audio Silver Series Centre Speaker.

I dont understand how people can praise the atom and titan yet bash the CC-170. I have titans in the from Atoms in the rear and the PDR-8 subwoffer. My CC-170 blends in perfectly and can compete with center channels at wee above the $170 i payed for it. It is just outstanding on movies, great detail and very smooth sounding. Handles anything i throw at it without any signs of strain. In fact i cant imagine shelling out almost twice as much for the CC-350 it is nowhenre near twice as good. If you own other paradign speakers, particularlly the performance series, look no further than the CC-170. Paradign continues to amaze me. Five start, others posting should have their ears checked.

Excellent center channel! Quite simply cannot be beat for the money. Not even the B&W CC6 can beat it! Blends quite nicely with my Paradigm Reference Studio 20's. Kinda had my doubts at first, but was totally blown away upon hookup! Check one out if you need a good center at a great price!

I am very happy with this speaker. Couldn't beleive the difference in a movie when I added this center channel, everything sounds more balanced. It had good mids and very clean high's. It can handle a lot too, I've never even seen this speaker strain before. Very good for the price. Paradigm is the best price/value company out there.

Price, value, sound, size

None.

This center channel speaker sounds terrific and is a great value. $199 is the list price. I think paradigm makes terrific products and sells them for a very low cost. It works very well with my Paradigm AMS-100's, PS-1000 sub-woofer and Mini Monitor speakers. The reason they're so inexpensive has to do with not using union labor- this is a Canadian company.

The rest of my system includes a JVC 7600 VCR, Sony DVD/CD changer #650 and Panasonic 32sf36 TV. The system sounds awesome with movies and all types of music.

If you are an audiophile and nothing but the very best will do you can find better and much more expensive speakers. 90+% of the popolulation who reads these reviews want a very good system and that's why I'm giving this equipment a 5 star rating.

Similar Products Used:

Definitive technology, M&K

Detailed vocals and sound effects. Simple design proves to be highly adaptable. Inexpensive. Great for movies and music.

A few months ago, I had purchased a pair of the Paradigm Atoms to use as my front speakers in my subwoofer/satellite system. Since I purchased the atoms, I have had no desire to upgrade my fronts at all. But the center channel needed to be upgraded in the worst way. I replaced an acoustic research center channel that I had purchased a long time ago on a clearance sale. The acoustic research center was a very competent center channel and it has provided me with countless hours of audio enjoyment. However, since I upgraded to the atoms from JBL N24s, the acoustic research center channel no longer matched properly. So, I splurged and bought the Paradigm CC-170 and I have been watching all of my DVD's for the past few hours, listening to my favorite "test" scenes.

The imaging that the CC-170 puts out is very wide and does a wonderful job blending the atoms together into an enveloping 3-Stereo experience. The trio is perfectly matched and is able to play at incredibly loud volumes without distorting or clipping. The first DVD I threw in the player was "Shanghai Noon" starring Jackie Chan. This movie takes place during the Wild West and there are a lot of various sound effects being swirled through all the channels. There is also a generous amount of dialogue to test out a center-channel's mettle. From soft whispers to trains exploding to gunshots, the CC-170 was able to reproduce each and every sound with a very good amount of detail and realism. In fact, I jumped a few times when guns were being shot on screen because the CC-170 was able to produce just enough punch to make the gun sound as if it were actually in my living room.

I have tried several center channels. So far, my favorite is B&W, however, given the price of the B&W speaker line vs. Paradigm's price to performance ratio, the choice is obvious.

To be completely honest, though, I have fallen in love with the Paradigm speaker line. All of the products that I've either taken the time to demo, or buy for myself, have consistently impressed me and my friends when they come over to watch movies or listen to music. AND what even impresses me more than their wonderful performance, is the even more wonderful price. $200 dollars CAN and DOES get you a center-channel that closely rivals B&W's which cost twice as much.

If you are interested in a sub/sat combo, you should seriously consider trying out some paradigm speakers. Are they the absolute BEST speakers out there? No...
Are they the absolute BEST value out there in terms of audio gear? Yes...

Performance = 4.5 stars
Value = 5.0 stars

Similar Products Used:

B&W, Definitive Technology, Acoustic Research, JBL, Sony

Strong construction, large cabinet for increased dynamic range, rear ported for great low frequency response

nothing comes to mind

I purchased this for about $190(cdn)about six months ago...Sure glad I did. It is a bit large, but this is a good thing, as it allows for more frequency response at low levels, absorbs more punishment in the form of damaging vibrations etc... I don't understand why a few people have mentioned it lacks bass. Center channels aren't supposed to have bass...that's what a sub is for. This one actually is rear ported, and has considerably more bass than you'd expect. I think these comments have more to do with the fact that good receivers filter the bass sounds and send them to the Sub and/or fronts and rears. This is done on purpose...Also, this is a center, most people probably have it on their TV, close to a wall or in a corner...placement might affect the level of bass they're receiving...

I am still surprised at how much mid-range this thing pumps out, perfect for dialogue or 5 channel stereo...
Can't beat it for the price...

Similar Products Used:

Bose (350???), PSB, JBL...

natural reproduction of voices

none

I consider this the best center channel I have heard under $500. I should point out I use it in a HT setup for TV/movie viewing only as I have a seperate system for music. For HT, I think it's perfect. The main job of a center channel is to reproduce voices, and here the CC170 excells. Voices did not sound as natural IMHO with the monitor series CC350. Of course it doesn't have deep bass. It's not supposed to. It's meant to be used in a system with a sub.

I can highly reccomend the CC-170 for HT, particularly when paired with a pair of Atoms for fronts and a PDR-10 (or 12) sub. It's a great system for people who want really good audio in their HT setup without spending a fortune.

Similar Products Used:

cc350

Clarity, smooth transitions. Superb voice reproduction

Brightness at loud levels.

best audio purchase i have ever made. i purchased this at Top Audio in Westminster CA and strongly urge all of you in the LA, OC area to visit them. they have been more than great and will sell Paradigm to you for 20% off on the spot. i was shopping for a good center for a few months, and cannot believe how overpriced the other centers are from other manufacturers (polk, infinity, klipsch). in addition, those centers didn't have the vocal clarity i most desired at this price range. as a bonus, this center excels with music, especially vocals. only drawback is an occasional harshness when playing at really loud levels, especially if you take the grill off, but luckily the effect has been minimal with my equipment (embarssingly cheap receiver). i observed the same harshness in the CC-330 as well. this center also is impressive at low volumes, and is ideal for late night viewing and apartment settings. all i can say is that with Paradigm, you always get the same quality as speakers priced twice as much. you must buy this center if you only have less than 200 dollars, and you won't be disappointed in the least.

Similar Products Used:

klipsch, polk

Excellent clarity

A bit harsh at certain levels.

I got this center a week after I bought my phantoms. I was originally thinking of going with the CC-350 front, but the salesperson and the size of the CC-350 front convinced me otherwise. That's not to say this front isn't large, because it is. Just not as big and heavy as the CC-350.

I've been quite impressed so far, but depending on the situation, and how close you're sitting to it, the sound can get a bit harsh at times.

Other than that, it's a great front for what I need.