In this review, we will be comparing Concord and SE 6000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Concord and Paradigm SE 6000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KLH Concord | Paradigm SE 6000F |
|---|
| Brand | KLH
United States · founded 1957 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Kevlar | 3 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-23k Hz | 53-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 94 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 225 watts | 15-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.45kg / 45lbs | 20.00kg / 44lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-3/8" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm | 41-3/8" x 8-15/16" x 14-3/16"
1051.0 x 228.0 x 361.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Concord is a 2-way design whereas the SE 6000F 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.
KLH ConcordParadigm SE 6000F
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KLH Concord |
Paradigm SE 6000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 5.5-inch
|
Concord features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the SE 6000F features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.5" Midrange and 3 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Concord has a frequency range of 28-23k Hz whereas SE 6000F has a frequency range of 53-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Concord can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SE 6000F's min frequency of 53Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Concord and SE 6000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Concord sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the SE 6000F's is at 93 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the KLH Concord a more sensitive speaker compared to Paradigm SE 6000F, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Concord can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS, whereas SE 6000F has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 125 watts less than the Concord.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Concord features Post type posts and SE 6000F has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Concord's 5-Way post terminals
Paradigm SE 6000F's Post terminals
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare KLH Concord's and Paradigm SE 6000F's external dimensions. KLH Concord has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/8 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch) whereas Paradigm SE 6000F has external dimensions of 1051.0 x 228.0 x 361.0mm (41-3/8 x 8-15/16 x 14-3/16inch).
KLH Concord is 16mm narrower and 25mm shorter than Paradigm SE 6000F but it is also 19mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Concord and Paradigm SE 6000F in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Concord and Paradigm SE 6000F Size and External Dimensions
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 KLH Concord is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2 and base area of the Paradigm SE 6000F is approximately 823.1cm2 / 127.6inch2. The Concord requires 2% less surface area than the SE 6000F which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The KLH Concord weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs and the Paradigm SE 6000F weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs. This makes the Concord 2% heavier than the SE 6000F.
Here is a comparison of how Concord and SE 6000F's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of KLH Concord?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Concord:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking nut attached)
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Rubber feet
- Port plug
- Manual
- ATTENTION! note
What's in the Box of Paradigm SE 6000F?
Here are the items that come with the SE 6000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
4 Rubber feet
4 Spike feet
Owner's Manual
Online Registration Card
Unboxing Instructions
 Max Input Power |
225 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
93 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
53 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1026mm
vs
1051mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
823cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| General |
KLH Concord |
Paradigm Monitor SE 6000F |
| Brand |
KLH |
Paradigm |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 225 watts |
15-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
94 dB |
93 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-23k Hz |
53-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Kevlar |
Mineral-filled polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.5" |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
1051.0mm (41.4") |
| Width |
212.0mm (8.3") |
228.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
380.0mm (15") |
361.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: KLH Concord is the newer design, against a 2018 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | KLH Concord digs deeper - 28Hz against 53Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (94dB vs 93dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | KLH Concord takes more power (225W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,000 vs $1,000 a pair). |
A KLH Concord B Paradigm SE 6000F
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
KLH Concord has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 53Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.