Paradigm Persona B (pack of 2)

The Paradigm Persona B represents a remarkable technical achievement: it is the only speaker in its class to use 99.9% pure beryllium for both of its drivers—a material usually reserved for speakers costing several times more. Manufactured entirely at Paradigm’s state-of-the-art facility near Toronto, each Persona B is a testament to over 40 years of artisanal expertise. Winner of Japan’s prestigious Stereo Sound Grand Prix, it delivers a level of transparency and detail that redefines expectations in this price range.

The Truextent Beryllium Exception

Beryllium is the technological heart of the Persona B and explains its uniqueness in the market. This rare metal boasts exceptional physical properties: it is 400% stiffer and 30% lighter than aluminum, while offering damping capabilities close to natural wood. These characteristics make it the ideal material for speaker diaphragms, but its rarity and the complexity of its machining make it prohibitive for most manufacturers.

Paradigm uses Truextent beryllium, a specially formulated alloy reaching 99.9% purity with a perfectly uniform granular structure. The manufacturing process, controlled with extreme precision, produces diaphragms several times stiffer than conventional materials while remaining significantly less dense. This unique combination allows for more than an extra octave of distortion-free reproduction compared to traditional cones.

What sets the Persona B apart is the application of this technology to both drivers: the 25 mm dome tweeter and the 178 mm mid-bass. This approach, unique in this category of speakers, ensures perfect tonal coherence across the frequency range and striking transparency throughout the entire audible spectrum.

Patented Technologies and Acoustic Innovations

The Persona B incorporates several patented innovations that optimize the performance of its beryllium drivers. The PPA (Perforated Phase-Aligning) lens, positioned in front of each driver, acts as a sophisticated waveguide. Its perforations of varying sizes block out-of-phase frequencies, smooth the response, and enhance detail perception without coloring the sound, while also protecting the precious beryllium diaphragms.

The mid-bass benefits from ART (Active Ridge Technology), a surround overmolded directly onto the cone in audiophile-grade thermoplastic elastomer. This patented design allows for much greater and more linear excursions, enabling a 3 dB output gain without distortion (a 50% increase) compared to conventional surrounds. The specially engineered ridges provide exceptional durability and maintain performance over time.

The SHOCK-MOUNT mounting system isolates the mid-bass from the enclosure using rubber inserts and sealing gaskets, drastically reducing unwanted resonances. This approach ensures that only the musical signal passes through the speaker, with no vibrational pollution from the cabinet.

Sophisticated Construction and Design

The Persona B’s cabinetry showcases exceptional craftsmanship. The enclosure begins with an assembly of seven layers of HDF composite material bonded with a specially formulated viscoelastic adhesive. This multilayer sandwich is pressed in a custom machine that creates the Persona’s distinctive curves while optimizing structural rigidity.

The rounded shapes and slanted surfaces are not just for aesthetics: they eliminate internal standing waves and perpendicular intersections that generate resonances. This complex geometry, inherited from experience with the Studio and Prestige series, allows you to hear more of the drivers and less of the cabinet.

The third-order electro-acoustic crossover, centered at 2 kHz, uses hand-selected components to preserve signal purity. This crossover, optimized by finite element analysis, ensures a perfect transition between the two beryllium drivers while respecting their individual characteristics.

Finishes and Customization

The Persona B is available in four standard finishes: the glossy Vanta Black and Harmony White, as well as the metallic Aria Blue and Sonic Silver. Each finish achieves a level of quality worthy of the luxury automotive industry, with remarkable depth and intensity.

For audiophiles seeking a more personal touch, Paradigm offers its Design Studio. This platform allows you to choose from 18 additional premium finishes, including bold colors like saffron yellow, bright orange, or amethyst purple. Customization extends to the grilles (black, silver, or slate), binding posts, and metal parts, allowing you to create a truly unique Persona.

This bespoke approach reflects Paradigm’s artisanal philosophy: each Persona B is hand-assembled by audio enthusiasts at the Canadian factory, with rigorous quality control at every stage.

Feet are not included with the speakers.

Technical Specifications

Acoustic Design

• Configuration: 2 drivers, 2-way, bass reflex bookshelf speaker
• Crossover: 3rd-order electro-acoustic at 2 kHz (tweeter / mid-bass driver)

Drivers

• Tweeter: 2.5 cm Truextent beryllium dome, ferrofluid damping/cooling
  • Perforated Phase-Aligning (PPA) lens
  • Finite Element Analysis (FEA) optimized pole piece assembly
• Mid-bass driver: 17.8 cm Truextent beryllium driver
  • Perforated Phase-Aligning (PPA) lens
  • Overmolded Active Ridge Technology (ART) surrounds
  • SHOCK-MOUNT isolation mounting system
  • 3.8 cm high-temperature tandem voice coil

Frequency Response

• On-axis response: ±2 dB from 60 Hz to 45 kHz
• 30° off-axis response: ±2 dB from 60 Hz to 20 kHz
• Bass extension: 36 Hz

Electrical Specifications

• Sensitivity (in-room / anechoic): 92 dB / 89 dB
• Recommended amplifier power range: 15 to 250 watts
• Maximum input power: 150 watts
• Impedance: 8 ohms compatible

Dimensions and Weight

• Dimensions (H × W × D): 43.5 cm × 22.5 cm × 33 cm
• Weight: 14 kg

Available Finishes

• Gloss: Vanta Black, Harmony White
• Metallic Gloss: Aria Blue, Sonic Silver