In this review, we will be comparing Imagine X2T and SE 8000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PSB and Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Imagine X2T and Paradigm SE 8000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | PSB Imagine X2T | Paradigm SE 8000F |
|---|
| Brand | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly | 3 x 8" Mineral-filled polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-23k Hz | 45-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 95 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 15-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 23.60kg / 51.9lbs | 31.36kg / 69lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-1/8" x 9" x 16-3/4"
1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm | 46" x 11-3/4" x 17-3/4"
1169.0 x 299.0 x 451.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the PSB Imagine X2T 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* |
PSB Imagine X2T |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both Imagine X2T and SE 8000F are 3-way speakers.
PSB Imagine X2TParadigm SE 8000F
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 Imagine X2T |
Paradigm SE 8000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.2-inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
Imagine X2T features a 1" titanium with neodymium magnets Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 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
Imagine X2T has a frequency range of 30-23k Hz whereas SE 8000F has a frequency range of 45-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Imagine X2T can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SE 8000F's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
Imagine X2T and SE 8000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Imagine X2T sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the SE 8000F's is at 95 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Paradigm SE 8000F a more sensitive speaker compared to PSB Imagine X2T, 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.
Imagine X2T can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas SE 8000F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Imagine X2T.
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
Imagine X2T features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SE 8000F has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
PSB Imagine X2T's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Paradigm SE 8000F's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Imagine X2T has a front firing port whereas SE 8000F has a rear firing ports. PSB Imagine X2T'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
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 Imagine X2T's and Paradigm SE 8000F's external dimensions. PSB Imagine X2T has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm (40-1/8 x 9 x 16-3/4inch) 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).
Paradigm SE 8000F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 70mm wider, 149mm taller and 25mm deeper than PSB Imagine X2T.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB Imagine X2T and Paradigm SE 8000F in scale.
Comparison image of PSB Imagine X2T and Paradigm SE 8000F 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 Imagine X2T is approximately 975.5cm2 / 151.2inch2 and base area of the Paradigm SE 8000F is approximately 1348.5cm2 / 209.0inch2. The Imagine X2T requires 28% less surface area than the SE 8000F 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 Imagine X2T weighs 23.60kg / 51.9lbs and the Paradigm SE 8000F weighs 31.36kg / 69lbs. This makes the SE 8000F 33% heavier than the Imagine X2T.
Here is a comparison of how Imagine X2T and SE 8000F'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 Imagine X2T?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Imagine X2T:
- Floor-standing speaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spiked Feet
- Wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
What's in the Box of Paradigm SE 8000F?
Here are the items that come with the SE 8000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
4 Rubber feet
4 Spike feet
Owner's Manual
Online Registration Card
Unboxing Instructions
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
1020mm
vs
1169mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
975cm2
vs
1348cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
1700USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
95 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.2 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| General |
PSB Imagine X2T |
Paradigm Monitor SE 8000F |
| Brand |
PSB |
Paradigm |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
15-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
95 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-23k Hz |
45-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.2" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Clay/Ceramic/Poly |
Mineral-filled polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
1169.0mm (46") |
| Width |
229.0mm (9") |
299.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
426.0mm (16.8") |
451.0mm (17.8") |
| Weight |
23.60kg (51.9lbs) |
31.36kg (69lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain |
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 |
A generation apart: Paradigm SE 8000F is the newer design, against a 2013 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 | PSB Imagine X2T digs deeper - 30Hz against 45Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Paradigm SE 8000F is more sensitive (95dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | PSB Imagine X2T takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | PSB Imagine X2T is easier to place; Paradigm SE 8000F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | PSB Imagine X2T: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | PSB Imagine X2T is cheaper - $1,500 against $1,700, about 12% less. |
A PSB Imagine X2T B Paradigm SE 8000F
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 Imagine X2T is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Paradigm SE 8000F if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 45Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Paradigm SE 8000F has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, PSB Imagine X2T is the easier speaker to get right.
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.