The subwoofer sports a 150-watt amplifier and a front-firing 10-inch woofer. The rear mounted ports need a bit of breathing room, so plan on giving them at least three or four inches of clearance from the wall. Connectivity is limited to a pair of line-level RCA inputs, but that's hardly a problem. You'll probably use your receiver's mono subwoofer output to drive the Paradigm sub.
Performance
The feisty 110 CT system absolutely reveled in the sound of guitarist Larry Coryell, bassist Victor Bailey, and drummer Lenny White's Electric CD. The funk trio's fierce interplay and blistering dynamics are best appreciated at high volume, and the 110 CT eagerly obliged. Paradigm's lifestyle-friendly system produces remarkable clarity while steering clear of the anemic, undeveloped midrange we associate with trim satellites. The treble response is smooth and clear, without a hint of the harshness that can become grating over extended listening sessions.
Pardon us while we gush over Antony and the Johnson's gorgeous I Am A Bird Now CD. Featuring Antony's fantastical blend of street corner vocalizing, framed in a soothing cushion of strings and gospel piano, the 110 CT belted out his ravishing tunes with gusto.
If we had any doubts about Paradigm's slim-line satellites' home theater capabilities, the Flight of the Phoenix DVD quickly dispelled those concerns. The rough-and-tumble scenes leading up to the plane crash sounded scarily real. The 110 CT put us inside the creaking interior of the disabled plane; the buffeting turbulence fully exercised the subwoofer, and the whooshing sounds of the sand slamming against the plane's metal fuselage dramatically added to the film's excitement. When the plane smashed into the desert, its sandy impact rattled our home theater. The 110 CT has enough oomph to fill even fairly large home theaters (up to 500 square feet) with satisfying volume levels. No, the sub isn't going to blow you away with gargantuan bass booms, but its sure-footed control takes a lion share of the credit for the 110 CT's poise under pressure.
Quieter DVDs such as Birth were no less engrossing. The eerie psychological thriller has a naturalistic soundtrack. Nicole Kidman's bathtub scene was appropriately wet and we could swear we were hearing the dialogue bouncing off the tiled bathroom walls.
Summing up, Paradigm's top-tier speaker package's trim good looks and sophisticated sonics make for an appealing combination; if its style fits your tastes, the 110 CT is an easy recommendation.
What You'll Pay
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