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.
| Key Specs | PSB Alpha T20 | Paradigm SE 6000F |
|---|
| Brand | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.75" Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene | 3 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-21k Hz | 53-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-120 watts | 15-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.89kg / 26.2lbs | 20.00kg / 44lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 34-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 9-13/16"
869.0 x 212.0 x 250.0mm | 41-3/8" 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.)
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 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.
PSB Alpha T20Paradigm 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 |
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.
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
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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Alpha T20 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas SE 6000F has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Alpha T20.
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
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
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 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.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB Alpha T20 and Paradigm SE 6000F in scale.
Comparison image of PSB Alpha T20 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 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.
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 PSB Alpha T20 weighs 11.89kg / 26.2lbs and the Paradigm SE 6000F weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs. This makes the SE 6000F 68% heavier than the Alpha T20.
Here is a comparison of how Alpha T20 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 PSB Alpha T20?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Alpha T20:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Rubber feet
- 8 Spike feet
- 8 Hex-nuts
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
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 |
120 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
53 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
869mm
vs
1051mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
530cm2
vs
823cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| General |
PSB Alpha T20 |
Paradigm Monitor SE 6000F |
| Brand |
PSB |
Paradigm |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-120 watts |
15-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
93 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
36-21k Hz |
53-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Mineral-filled polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.75" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
869.0mm (34.2") |
1051.0mm (41.4") |
| Width |
212.0mm (8.3") |
228.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
250.0mm (9.8") |
361.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
11.89kg (26.2lbs) |
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 |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | PSB Alpha T20 digs deeper - 36Hz against 53Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Paradigm SE 6000F is more sensitive (93dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | PSB Alpha T20 is easier to place; Paradigm SE 6000F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | PSB Alpha T20: bi-amping. PSB Alpha T20 sits in a wider range (9 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | PSB Alpha T20 is cheaper - $799 against $1,000, about 20% less. |
A PSB Alpha T20 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?
PSB Alpha T20 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. Match it to your room: we rate PSB Alpha T20 the better fit for a large room, and Paradigm SE 6000F for a small room.
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.