In this review, we will be comparing Alpha T20 and SE 6000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PSB and Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Alpha T20 and Paradigm SE 6000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
PSB Alpha T20 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 0.75" Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer
- 36-21k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-120watts
- Weight:11.89kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 869.0" x 8-5/16" x 9-13/16"( 869.0 x 212.0 x 250.0mm )
Paradigm SE 6000F Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 5.5" Midrange
- 3 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer
- 5.5" Midrange
- 53-21k Hz Frequency Response
- 93 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-100watts
- Weight:20.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1051.0" x 8-15/16" x 14-3/16"( 1051.0 x 228.0 x 361.0mm )
What size room are the PSB Alpha T20 and Paradigm SE 6000F 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* |
PSB Alpha T20 |
Paradigm SE 6000F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 PSB Alpha T20 and Paradigm SE 6000F 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 Alpha T20 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.
| Driver |
PSB Alpha T20 |
Paradigm SE 6000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
3 x 5.5-inch
|
Alpha T20 features a 0.75" anodized aluminum with front waveguide Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. 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
Alpha T20 has a frequency range of 36-21k Hz whereas SE 6000F has a frequency range of 53-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Alpha T20 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SE 6000F's min frequency of 53Hz.
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
Alpha T20 and SE 6000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Alpha T20 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the SE 6000F's is at 93 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Paradigm SE 6000F a more sensitive speaker compared to PSB Alpha T20, 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.
Alpha T20 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas SE 6000F has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Alpha T20.
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
Alpha T20 features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SE 6000F has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
PSB Alpha T20's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Paradigm SE 6000F's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Alpha T20 and SE 6000F have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 PSB Alpha T20's and Paradigm SE 6000F's external dimensions. PSB Alpha T20 has external dimensions of 869.0 x 212.0 x 250.0mm ( 34-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 9-13/16inch) 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) .
Paradigm SE 6000F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 16mm wider, 182mm taller and 111mm deeper than PSB Alpha T20.
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 PSB Alpha T20 is approximately 530.0cm2 / 82.2inch2 and base area of the Paradigm SE 6000F is approximately 823.1cm2 / 127.6inch2. The Alpha T20 requires 36% less surface area than the SE 6000F which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.