All right, ladies and gents, I think I'm hooked on subs now!
Meet my new friend: the new Paradigm Defiance X15 subwoofer.
This baby blows some serious wind through a 15-inch driver
and I'm here to tell you how all about the massage it gives
All areas
Either way you slice it, this is pure evil
100% evil
You play music through subs just once, you hit a slippery slope
Your ears have popped
So these guys said, come round and listen to the new Paradigm subwoofers
Generally, Paradigm packs a subwoofer in every line of speakers
Plus they have a separate line of subwoofers called Defiance — how's that for a name!
Six black cubes like this one here, and boy do they look intimidating!
This is what they call a universal subwoofer, plug it in your home cinema or tri-phonic or stereo, anywhere you choose, they will deliver
The best part is, the three lower-grade subs, marked V, are made in China, and the three top of the line subs, marked X, are made in Canada
and you will never guess which of the cubes is which: the materials, the assembly, the functions are identical
Naturally, the top ones are suspended differently, with a larger speaker cone, bigger dimensions, but strictly speaking, China ain't half bad. But that's beside the point
What's really important is that the line boasts three key features
Feature A, all subs are wireless. That is, can be wireless, if you buy this module that comes free of charge with the top-line subs
You insert this cartridge in a special slot in the back of the subwoofer cabinet, and that's it
You connect this thing to the sub output of the amp, and once you power them, they connect automatically without further ado. Rock and roll, baby!
Feature B, they are all controlled entirely from your phone
Look at the back panel, where all the dials and switches used to be: now it's only the input sockets and the volume knob you don't really need, because you control every function from your phone app
Spoiler alert: it really works like magic and you really start to see this device from a different perspective
And finally, Feature C —they all have a room correction processing system. It also works from your phone and makes a huge difference!
I have to admit, I personally see this whole thing as a game changer for the subwoofer as a musical device, because I used to mistrust them
Because what's a subwoofer? First, you have to find some place to stick it in the room, spread some cables across, decide between the high or low level inputs, turn some knobs and flick some switches in the dark, on your knees
Twiddle some knobs, jump back, listen, repeat. What a drag, and you don't even know how to work that thing
And now, in our beautiful future, it's finally all right — with these black boxes! And it's all the way to open space from here
You wheel out this 40 kilo, 15 inch baby to the middle of the room. You take your phone, sit down in the sweet spot and take full control of the whole thing. Just plug it in, that's all
It's in the palm of your hand — phase, level, EQ, the works! You set it, you listen, you sit in your spot. All in real time
No more crawling around. Listening Modes: for movies, for music, even night mode
It got me thinking: you wake up at 3 a.m., you hit this special button — wham! Hit your neighbor right in the head.
No, that's not how it actually works
Night listening mode reduces certain bass frequencies so as not to disturb the neighbors. What a shame
Okay, my point is: for a man who has been wary of subs his entire life, this is the first time I get to speak their language
I am used to smartphones, I like it plain and simple, like Apple — excuse my girly preferences
This is the first sub I can communicate with, knowing exactly what and why I am dialing, and I am hearing it in the actual sound
So I sat down, tweaked it for a bit, the sound was okay, and then I thought I'd give room correction a try
And let me tell you, it was outer space times two! Second stage boost! ARC, or Anthem Room Correction, you turn it on, and it's space magic
You use your phone mic and follow 5 simple steps. You go to 5 positions in your room, around the sofa where you, your girl and your friends sit
you point the mic at the system in each spot while the subwoofer makes bubbling noises
The whole process takes two minutes max. Then you sit back and you're in outer space! It's all done!
I ran this ARC system in a room with a 5-meter ceiling, 85 meters long, no soundproofing. A living nightmare. Phwoar!
The entire set-up plays beautifully from where I'm sitting. And I gotta boast a little: while I was doing the settings, I set the phase as well
And then Room Correction changed it all completely, except for the phase, which I had nailed down to the degree
 
Set it perfectly by ear! Wanna know why?
Mister Golden Ear of Russia, that's me
And there is more. People think that phone setup is for laughs, but here it's all customized for the phone.
Attached is the tuning mic, you plug it right into the phone
Of course, that's how you get precision. You use the same app, but not with the built-in phone mic
I compared the accuracy of both microphones, the built-in mic works just as well. Don't need the extra
That's space tech for you
I dread what might happen in 5 years: you turn it on… no you just bring it in the room and plug it in… no plugging in… you just say
"Subwoofer, go!" And voila, space sounds right in your brain. The future, right?
The worst part is, you add a subwoofer to your sound system once, there's no going back
Because the rich sound, the scope it gives you, shakes the 5-meter ceiling
Can be done actually with this baby
No, when your ear can hardly hear it — that's when it scales up your system.
Whoa! Now you are a junkie! So hard to kick the habit
I used this monster in tri-phonics with Paradigm and Anthem amps with cool-looking paint-on needles
And boy, does this baby pad it up big time!
And you think I played Metallica through this gigantic Paradigm sub? You wish!
Messiaen, "Turangalila Symphonie" — that's what this sub was built to play! BBC recording, dynamic range blows your socks off, symphonic proportions!
 
Exactly what you need this for. Serious music too, lads. Oh my gosh
Seriously, it's time to check into rehab. Or I will end up buying subwoofers for my system!
Sick bastard
