In this review, we will be comparing Q950 and SE 8000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q950 and Paradigm SE 8000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KEF Q950 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 11th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1.5" Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 8.0" Aluminum Woofer
- 44-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-200watts
- Weight:20.68kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1117.0" x 14-1/4" x 12-3/8"( 1117.0 x 362.0 x 315.0mm )
Paradigm SE 8000F Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 3 x 8" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer
- 6.5" Midrange
- 45-21k Hz Frequency Response
- 95 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-150watts
- Weight:31.36kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1169.0" x 11-3/4" x 17-3/4"( 1169.0 x 299.0 x 451.0mm )
What size room are the KEF Q950 and Paradigm SE 8000F speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
KEF Q950 |
Paradigm SE 8000F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KEF Q950 and Paradigm SE 8000F compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Q950 is a 2-way design whereas the SE 8000F is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
KEF Q950 |
Paradigm SE 8000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.0-inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
Q950 features a 1.5" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 2 x 8.0" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz. On the other hand, the SE 8000F features a 1" Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 8" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
Q950 has a frequency range of 44-28k Hz whereas SE 8000F has a frequency range of 45-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Q950 can go slightly deeper then the SE 8000F's min frequency of 45Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Q950 and SE 8000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Q950 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the SE 8000F's is at 95 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Paradigm SE 8000F a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q950, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Q950 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas SE 8000F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Q950.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Q950 features Post type posts and SE 8000F has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm SE 8000F's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Q950 has a front firing port whereas SE 8000F has a rear firing ports. KEF Q950's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Paradigm SE 8000F with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare KEF Q950's and Paradigm SE 8000F's external dimensions. KEF Q950 has external dimensions of 1117.0 x 362.0 x 315.0mm ( 43-15/16 x 14-1/4 x 12-3/8inch) whereas Paradigm SE 8000F has external dimensions of 1169.0 x 299.0 x 451.0mm ( 46 x 11-3/4 x 17-3/4inch) .
KEF Q950 is 52mm shorter and 136mm less deeper than Paradigm SE 8000F but it is also 63mm wider.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the KEF Q950 is approximately 1140.3cm2 / 176.7inch2 and base area of the Paradigm SE 8000F is approximately 1348.5cm2 / 209.0inch2. The Q950 requires 15% less surface area than the SE 8000F which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.