Paradigm Persona 3F Persona Series Manual - Page 9

GENERAL TIPS Break-In Although Paradigm Persona speakers sound great "out of the carton," they will sound even better once they are "broken in." Allow them to play for several hours before you begin any critical listening. NOTE: If your speakers have been transported or stored in the cold, let them warm to room temperature before use. Cleaning Persona speakers have a durable premium finish. To clean, use a damp soft cloth. Do not use a strong or abrasive cleaner. Avoid getting any part of the speaker system wet. Do not place wet objects (drinking glasses, potted plants, etc.) on top of the speakers-if allowed to soak in, even a small amount of water may permanently damage the speaker enclosure. PREVENTING SPEAKER DAMAGE Paradigm Persona speakers are efficient and can be driven to loud listening levels with moderate amplifier power. They are also able to handle the output of very powerful amplifiers. To prevent damage to your speakers, please read the following guidelines before hooking them up. Amplifier Distortion - The #1 Culprit! Amplifier distortion is the principle cause of speaker damage. When listening at higher volume levels, your amplifier may run out of clean power and begin to produce a distorted signal if levels are increased any further. This will damage any brand of speaker very quickly. (See your Authorized Paradigm Dealer for amplifier recommendations). More Powerful Amplifiers are Safer When choosing an amplifier, always select an amplifier with a power rating greater than that of the speaker. Using a 100 watt per channel amplifier on a 50 watt speaker allows the amplifier adequate headroom in order to provide a distortion free signal. Conversely, using a 40 watt per channel amplifier on a 50 watt speaker limits the amplifier's headroom. This causes the amplifier to enter its distortion level much sooner, potentially damaging the speaker. Volume Control Do not be fooled by the Volume Control of your receiver/preamplifier. It only adjusts listening level-it is not a "power-output" dial. The amount of amplifier power actually used at a given Volume Control setting depends solely on the nature of the music you are listening to. At a given Volume Control setting a quiet section of music will use less amplifier power than a loud section. With typical pop-rock, jazz or large scale classical music, the rated output power of many receivers/amplifiers is often reached when the Volume Control is between the "11 and 1 o'clock" settings (with bass/treble and loudness controls not used-otherwise rated power may be reached at even lower Volume Control settings). 4