Paradigm Reference Signature Sub25 15" Subwoofer (3,000w RMS) v3

"The Paradigm Signature Sub 25 now is the sub to beat." - Randall Smith, Home Theater Sound
"Think of it as a ninja bodyguard packed full of bass - you won't even know it's there until it's called upon, and then things get done with quick, effortless precision before it disappears again. Honestly, that's about the highest praise we can lay on a sub." - Steven Kim, Engadget

A range of features, such as universal input power, Power Factor Correction and optional integration of room correction technology, makes Paradigm's Signature Sub25 as smart as it is powerful.

• High-power 15" driver with 3" peak-to-peak cone travel
• 7,500 watts Dynamic Peak and 3,000 watts sustained RMS
• Inputs: L/R RCA Audio; Subwoofer; Balanced XLR
• Independently adjustable output level, bandwidth and phase
• Power modes: Off, Trigger and Auto
• External Trigger input
• Reconfigurable via USB port

when SUB 25 starts to sing you know you’re going to get every note, every nuance, every deep bass thrill you paid to hear. The bottomless rumble in a movie soundtrack. Explosive special effects. That note of menace. The portent of disaster. All recreated with impact and weight, vivid realism, and pinpoint accuracy.

Recognising that on-demand power is the essence of subwoofer performance, Paradigm has designed the SUB 25 to effectively harness and optimise AC line current for optimal performance.

Paradigm has equipped the SUB 25 with universal input power, which allows the subwoofer to operate intuitively on a 120 V or 230 V circuit. This is possible because the SUB 25 can handle the load from any line voltage between 108 V and 265 V.

This flexibility to accept a range of line voltages is welcome, but how this power is managed is even more critical. The SUB 25's Power Factor Correction technology shapes the AC line input current to be sinusoidal and continuous in time. A unit without Power Factor Correction can only draw about 60 to 70 percent of the maximum available power because the current only flows at the peaks of the line voltage, essentially "choking" the line. The use of Power Factor Correction allows the SUB 25 to accept the maximum possible amount of input power, while its high-efficiency Ultra-Class DTM amplifier, rated at 7,500 watts Dynamic Peak and 3,000 watts sustained RMS, allows the maximum amount of output power. By combining both, the SUB 25 delivers the most power that can be obtained from the AC line.

The SUB 25's new high-power 15" driver with 3" peak-to-peak cone travel, improved high-efficiency motor assembly, massive shorting ring and all new FEA-optimised elliptical surround offer high linearity, greater excursion, lower distortion and greater effective cone area.

SUB 25 is accurate down to a gruelling 9 Hz! In the average listening room it can reproduce an unbelievable 125 dB without audible distortion. And even at the highest output levels, the transition between SUB 25 and the other speakers in the system is deliciously seamless. The source of the bass, the SUB 25, simply disappears.

Paradigm's Signature Subwoofer Technology:

• Mineral-Filled Co-Polymer Polypropylene Cone with RCR Resonance Control Ribs. Engineered for very high power, this high-stiffness design is intrinsically low in distortion allowing the bass cone to respond instantly to the starts and stops of even the leading edge of the lowest bass notes.
• Advanced Multi-Layer Polyurethane-Composite Elliptical Surround and Dual Oversize Spiders. Optimized using Finite Element Analysis (FEA), a highly advanced tool for component design, the surround’s multi-layer composite matrix with its high-tech surface treatment encourages extended cone excursion. A staggering 3" (76 mm) peak-to-peak excursion, while maintaining exceptional linearity and cone control.
• 3" (76 mm) 8-Layer Bifilar High-Temperature Aluminum Voice Coil. Wound on a high-temperature composite former in an oversize bifilar configuration, the aluminum coil provides exceptional stability and support for the extended cone excursion.
• Comprehensive Heat Dissipation System! Our robust 1/8" (3.2 mm) thick aluminum circuit board (see inset) is overlaid with insulated-metal substrates. Using an aluminum base as opposed to the more typical fiberglass base, while more expensive, encourages exceptionally efficient cooling. Even more mechanically robust than copper or ceramic, the metal substrates increase power density, minimize thermal impedance and conduct heat more efficiently while offering greater mechanical durability. FR-4-rated circuit board designs, widely used because of their exceptional efficiency, typically require larger heatsinks. In the SUB 25 however, the combination of aluminum and overlaid metal substrates allows for a heatsink much reduced in size.
• Power Factor Correction (PFC). PFC shapes the current so it is sinusoidal and continuous in time, allowing maximum power (95%) to be drawn and with far less noise on the line. To compare: A unit without PFC draws only 60 to 70% of the available power since the line current is switched on and off by the input rectifier (a noise-inducing process in itself!) at twice the frequency. Current flows at the peak of the line voltage only, effectively choking the line. PFC prevents over-heating/tripping of the circuit breakers. Add to this the highly efficient Ultra-Class-D design ensuring maximum output and the SUB 25’s amplifier becomes an input / output powerhouse that is simply unbeatable.

Paradigm Reference Signature Sub25 15" Subwoofer Reviews

Home Theater Sound by Randall Smith
For a long time, my system simply couldn’t compete with cinemas. The speakers I owned were always too small to be able to fill my room with sound. One thing I now know is that the keys to great sound are the proper setup of electronics and speakers. Achieve this goal, and you’ve given your system its best opportunity to shine. My second bit of advice is to buy speakers that can play big and clean, and with great dynamic range. Remember, if you’re trying to replicate the size and scale of a huge movie theater with less than half the number of speakers, then maximizing the performance of the speakers you have is of the highest importance. And now, I believe that I have at last found the subwoofer that can take my HT system to the next level.

The Sub 25 will play loud and deep, and virtually control the room it’s in. I’d love to give you a better description of what the woofer cone looks like, but the grille is permanently attached. Paradigm’s reason for this? Safety. Whether or not the Sub 25’s woofer is capable of actually hurting anyone is beside the point to me. You’ve got to like the attitude, though.

A large subwoofer looking this good? I didn’t see it coming.

As the track played, the bass extension and power caused things to move in my house that I had never heard move before. The Sub 25 instantly locked on to the room and energized the entire space -- an experience quite unlike any I’d ever had in my room. The sweeping bass extended much lower in frequency than it had through any other combination of sub and speaker I’d heard in my room before ... the bass power produced by the Sub 25 was incredible, but equally impressive was its smoothly extended, evenhanded nature. The bass was impressively linear, without major dropouts or any noticeable peaks.

It’s rewarding when you notice improvements you’re not even looking for. While watching one of my favorite shows, 24, I began to note just how powerful the Sub 25 was in more subtle ways. During this show’s intense action sequences, there is a low-frequency tone that hangs out in the background of the sound mix. This sound increases the level of tension in the scene, and indicates just how dire the situation is. The Sub 25 was able to reproduce this energy in my room in a way that I could feel more than hear: a sound that remained constant and strong, but without drawing attention to the subwoofer itself. The Sub 25 pulled the greatest "disappearing" act I’ve ever heard from a sub -- there were times when I was amazed by its ability to energize the room without ever audibly drawing my attention to its physical location. In fact, it seemed as if the Sub 25 actually expanded the size of my room.

... sounded much more crisp and clean than I’d experienced in the theater. The leading edge of each drumstroke was handled by the main speakers, while the weight of each note was faithfully reproduced by the sub. Again, I was pleased with how well my home theater compared to my local cinema. In fact, with the addition of the Sub 25, there was no comparison.

I so loved my time with Paradigm’s Signature Sub 25 that I’ve decided to make it my reference subwoofer. Never has a subwoofer energized my room in so dominant yet so controlled a way. In the past, whenever I’ve written about how this or that subwoofer I was reviewing did a wonderful job of "disappearing" -- i.e., not audibly drawing attention to its position -- I never felt as if I was overstating that quality. I guess it just takes a better one to point out the difference. The fit’n’finish of its beautiful cabinet, its massive 15" driver, its ultrapowerful class-D amplifier, and its unmatched performance make the Paradigm Signature Sub 25 the best subwoofer I know of.

The Paradigm Signature Sub 25 now is the sub to beat.

Engadget by Steven Kim - June 2009
This sub dives deep. Deeper than we could hear, in fact.

Obviously, it goes really low, really loud - the combination of a 15-inch front-mounted driver, an amp capable of cranking out 3,000-Watts, and Paradigm's design and engineering chops pretty much guarantees that much. In the crazy world of audio gear, the SUB 25 is definitely high-end, but not exotic expensive -- in other words, familiar territory for Paradigm's Signature speakers. Purchasers of Paradigm gear know that it's backed by a company that will be around for the long haul for service and support.

We expected a lot from the SUB 25 ... We're happy to report that it did not disappoint.

... the bass response was tight, quick and punchy when necessary (bass drums, for example), but also able to give plenty of "purr" to instruments like plucked stand-up bass. Of course, if you want to give your living room a little more of a club feel, just dial up the SUB 25's level and break out the glowsticks -- it'll do a fine job of that, too.

... the SUB 25 will do your soundtracks justice, too. Listening to the "Ice Field" scene from Titan AE is always good for a subwoofer workout, and the SUB 25 made us appreciate how wonderfully ridiculous this hobby is.

The SUB 25 starts and stops on a dime, and delivers all the small Hertz in your music and soundtracks with no apologies.

Think of it as a ninja bodyguard packed full of bass - you won't even know it's there until it's called upon, and then things get done with quick, effortless precision before it disappears again. Honestly, that's about the highest praise we can lay on a sub.

Paradigm Reference Signature Sub25 15" Subwoofer Specifications

Design Single high-excursion driver, sealed enclosure, patented built-in Ultra-Class-D power isolation amplifier with Power Factor Correction, USB port
 NOTE: Due to the incredibly high power and tremendous output the SUB 25’s grille is non-removable
Amplifier: High-Current,
 Discrete Output 7,500 watts Dynamic Peak /
 3,000 watts RMS
Amplifier Features Auto-On / Off, Trigger On / Off, soft clipping, electrical shorting protection, thermal protection
Bass Driver 15" / 380-mm RCR mineral-filled co-polymer polypropylene cone, oversize FEA-optimized elliptical surround, dual spiders, massive aluminum shorting ring, 3" / 76-mm eight-layer bifilar voice coil, high-temperature composite former, 16.8 kg triple ceramic / ferrite magnet / motor structure, AVS die-cast heatsink chassis
Low-Frequency Extension  9 Hz (DIN - DIN 45 500. Indicates -3 dB in a typical listening room.)
Subwoofer Cut-Off Frequency Variable 35 Hz - 150 Hz; Bypass Option
Sub / Sat Phase Alignment Variable 0° - 180°
Line-Level Input RCA (S/E) Left and Right or Sub-Out / LFE or Balanced XLR. From Sub-Out / LFE-Out of preamp, processor or other line-level source
Line-Level Input Sensitivity 100 mV mono
Line-Level Input Impedance RCA: 10k ohms; XLR: 20k ohms
AC Voltage 120v - 240v: 50 / 60 Hz
Universal Input Power: SUB 25’s Universal Input Power feature allows the subwoofer to operate connected to any line voltage between 108 volts and 265 volts. However, in order to achieve maximum continuous performance we highly recommend connecting to a 240-volt line. (See Dealer for additional information.)
Dimensions (H x W x D)  51.0 x 46.0 x 63.5 cm (Height includes feet, width does not include feet)
Weight (Unpacked) 51.7 kg