i got the paradigm centerchannel for free so i cant compain..
but it sounds terrable.. a centerchannel is supposed to be mostly about vocals and highs..
its supposed to be the clear and crisp accurate speaker out of the setup..

when i listen to mine.. it seems the vocals and mids sound muffled.. like there is a pillow over the drivers..
the lows sound boomy.. but thats expected from a centerchannel.. the highest of the highs sound alright..

these are built like a tank though.. they are almost impossible to scratch, and the grille isnt fragile..
the surrounds are some kind of rubber.. so no chance of them deteriorating.
imo.. if you are a autophile or notice every little detail or imperfection and it bothers you.. this is not for you.
at $140. this is a bad buy.. i think this worth more like $50-60..
however if you just need a ok speaker and want quality.. this might work for you.. but there are other speakers out there for cheaper that sound more accurate..

size, cheap

voices are inaccurate, tinny, zero bass

I have had this product for a few years now. I wanted a cheap center speaker and I read this one was good for a budget. I have it matched with Atoms in the rear, an older canadian bookshelf main speakers called Cambers(which are great), and a HSU Research STF-2 sub. The reality is this speaker is weak, unimpressive, and easily the weak link in an otherwise decent sounding system. The only thing I like is the size.
You could do much better for a similiar price. BTW, I'm a Paradigm fan, just not of this particular product.

Customer Service

no experience

Natural, articulate sound. Build quality. Attractive yet unobtrusive cabinet.

None

The Paradigm CC-70 mathes my Atoms very well. Voices are very natural sounding and articulate. I like the small size of the speaker, which sits on my 27" TV without looking obtrusive. Picking it up, one feels the heft, which does not surprise me, since Paradigm speakers are always well-built. This speaker sounds more natural, and much more articulate, than my former center, the Infinity IL25C. There is more 'bite' to voices, whereas the Infinity tended to gloss over voices and lacked articulation.

Similar Products Used:

Infinity IL-25C Center Speaker.

Clear, but perhaps not "bright" enough for some people's taste. Greate price.

Limited range and sound projection not as phenomenal as other Paradigm speakers

The CC-70 is an "adequate" center channel speaker. It sounds flat at times and has limited range for some vocals. The soundstage of this speaker is not very impressive either considering how beautiful the Paradigm Atoms project. The sound is not nasally, but it seems as if the voices are covered by a piece of paper. The Cambridge Soundworks MC300 actually sounds crisper. Some may find this CSW speaker too "bright", but for dialogue, it's superior. Having said all that, I would recommend this speaker as the beginnings of an ENTRY-LEVEL home theatre setup. By no means is this speaker capable of handling a 40" TV with tower speakers and a 125-watt receiver. But, if you have a smaller room with smaller gear, this speaker is as good as anything else you can buy AT THIS PRICE. You get what you a pay for.

Similar Products Used:

Cambridge Soundworks, Paradigm CC-170, Definitive Technologies, Energy

clarity / detail very solidly timbre matched with the Atoms price!!!!!

a little weak on bass

I have been buying Paradigm product since 1988. i''ve owned Magnapan, Mirage,Polk and Klipsch product to name a few others. For some reason I keep coming back to Paradigm. Efficient, detailed, neutral and best of all inexpensive! I''ve recently had to re-construct my home theatre due to space limitations, I looked at many micro systems then decided on putting it together piece by piece. The cc70 was an easy decision based on the above features. I do agree that it could use a little more bass, however when paired up with the PDR12 bass is a non-issue and besides dialogue isn''t heavy on bass content anyways. Atom''s up front, Micros in the rear, pretty much stomps any micro system on both music and movies. All for a total investment of 675.00 for everything!

Similar Products Used:

stated in review

Is a great speaker for a great price. Although I just upgraded, its still a great speaker, with no major weaknesses.

great sound and realism

None

I have had this speaker for almost a year and I can tell you that once again I am impressed with the paradigm product. The first real test I gave it was the Top Gun DVD and let me tell you could hear every little detail of the voices to the jets blasting around the sky. Nn complaints here, good job paradigm!!

Good realism, smaller size

none at the price

For the price, an outstanding value that provides good realism in voice and all-around sound reproduction. If you had more money to spend on a center channel, a bigger 2-way or a three-way of similar quality would sound a little better. The range of this is limited, but that's a trade-off for the somewhat smaller size.

Paradigm comes through again.

Tight, accurate, exact, you get more than what you pay for.

I think I have fallen in love with it.

First off I would just like to say, all of the centers above, I got to audition at Stereo store and/or a friend of mines house. This was the first center that I owned. I couldn't be more happier. I followed a break-in period of probably a month(there really was no reason to though). I gave it a lot of power for a very short time and then relaxed it to a medium volume. I was shocked about the performance of a center that size with no port. This center blows a lot of centers out of the water with no problem. It handles so well with no type of distortion. The first movie I used it with was The Last Man Standing on DEEEEEEEVVVEEEEDEEEEE. I could feel the gun shots like they were being shot in my room at me. I guess Paradigm really paid attention when they made this center. I tried real hard to find distortion, haven't found ANY. If your on a budget, but want something good, there is no possible way to go wrong with purchasing this product.

Similar Products Used:

B&W CC 6, RCA CC, Def. Tech.,

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Sounds like a tweeter

I can't seem to understand why people post such a high rate on this one, cc70. It sounds like a tweeter, and they call themselves audiophiles!.

Even the cc170 sounds too bright too and no bass at all.