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Paradigm SE 3000F vs Paradigm SE Atom Comparison

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Paradigm SE 3000F

Passive Floor-standing | 55-21k Hz

Paradigm Monitor SE 3000F
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Paradigm SE Atom

Passive Bookshelf | 61-21k Hz

Paradigm Monitor SE Atom
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Paradigm SE 3000F Paradigm SE 3000F
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Paradigm SE Atom Paradigm SE Atom
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Paradigm SE 3000F
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Paradigm SE Atom
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Paradigm SE 3000F vs Paradigm SE Atom Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Paradigm. Paradigm Monitor SE 3000F is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Monitor SE Atom is a Bookshelf speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Paradigm SE 3000F and Paradigm SE Atom first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Paradigm SE 3000F Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1" Tweeter
  • 5.5" Midrange
  • 2 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer
  • 55-21k Hz Frequency Response
  • 91 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:15-100watts
  • Weight:15.91kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1007.0" x 8-15/16" x 10-15/16"( 1007.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm )

Paradigm SE Atom Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
  • 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer
  • 61-21k Hz Frequency Response
  • 89 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:15-100watts
  • Weight:5.45kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 324.0" x 7-1/8" x 10-7/8"( 324.0 x 181.0 x 277.0mm )

SE 3000F and Monitor SE Atom are members of Paradigm's Monitor series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Paradigm Monitor Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Paradigm SE 8000F
  
Floor-standing 45-21k Hz 95 dB8Ω 3 x 8"
Paradigm SE Atom
Bookshelf 61-21k Hz 89 dB8Ω 1 x 5.5"
Paradigm SE 3000F
Floor-standing 55-21k Hz 91 dB8Ω 2 x 5.5"
Paradigm SE 6000F
  
Floor-standing 53-21k Hz 93 dB8Ω 3 x 5.5"

What size room are the Paradigm SE 3000F and Paradigm SE Atom 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* Paradigm SE 3000F Paradigm SE Atom
Near-field Poor Average
Small Room Average Good
Mid-size Room Good Average
Large Room Poor Poor
Very Large Room Bad 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 Paradigm SE 3000F and Paradigm SE Atom compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that SE 3000F is a 3-way design whereas the Monitor SE Atom is a 2-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 Paradigm SE 3000F Paradigm SE Atom
Driver Setup 3-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange 1 x 5.5-inch -
Woofer 2 x 5.5-inch 1 x 5.5-inch

SE 3000F features a 1" Tweeter , a 5.5" Midrange and 2 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer . On the other hand, the Monitor SE Atom features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer .

Frequency Response

SE 3000F has a frequency range of 55-21k Hz whereas Monitor SE Atom has a frequency range of 61-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the SE 3000F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Monitor SE Atom's min frequency of 61Hz.

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

SE 3000F
Monitor SE Atom
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Paradigm SE 3000F
Paradigm SE Atom
Min
Average
Max

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

SE 3000F and Monitor SE Atom have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. SE 3000F sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Monitor SE Atom's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Paradigm SE 3000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Paradigm SE Atom, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

SE 3000F
Monitor SE Atom
Min
Average
Max

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.

SE 3000F and Monitor SE Atom has the same power range of 15-100 watts.

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

SE 3000F features Post type posts and Monitor SE Atom has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Paradigm SE 3000F Terminals
Paradigm SE 3000F's Post terminals

Paradigm SE AtomPost Terminals
Paradigm SE Atom's Post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both SE 3000F and Monitor SE Atom 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 Paradigm SE 3000F's and Paradigm SE Atom's external dimensions. Paradigm SE 3000F has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm ( 39-5/8 x 8-15/16 x 10-15/16inch) whereas Paradigm SE Atom has external dimensions of 324.0 x 181.0 x 277.0mm ( 12-3/4 x 7-1/8 x 10-7/8inch) .

Paradigm SE 3000F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 47mm wider, 683mm taller and 1mm deeper than Paradigm SE Atom.

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 Paradigm SE 3000F is approximately 633.8cm2 / 98.2inch2 and base area of the Paradigm SE Atom is approximately 501.4cm2 / 77.7inch2. The SE 3000F requires 26% more surface area than the Monitor SE Atom which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of Paradigm SE 3000F?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of SE 3000F:
  • Floorstanding loudspeaker 4 Rubber feet 4 Spike feet Owner's Manual Online Registration Card Unboxing Instructions
  • What's in the Box of Paradigm SE Atom?

    Here are the items that come with the Monitor SE Atom:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grilles
  • 8 Rubber feet
  • Owner's Manual
  • Online Registration Card

  • Reasons to choose Paradigm Monitor SE 3000F over Paradigm Monitor SE Atom
    Driver Setup 3-way vs 2-way Have a dedicated mid-range driver
    Sensitivity 91 dB vs 89 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 55 Hz vs 61 Hz Generates deeper bass

    Reasons to choose Paradigm Monitor SE Atom over Paradigm Monitor SE 3000F

    Height 324mm vs 1007mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 501cm2 vs 633cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 300USD vs 700USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    Paradigm SE 3000F vs Paradigm SE Atom Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Paradigm Monitor SE 3000F Paradigm Monitor SE Atom
    Brand Paradigm Paradigm
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range 15-100 watts 15-100 watts
    Sensitivity 91 dB 89 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Frequency Response 55-21k Hz 61-21k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 1
    Woofer Size 5.5" 5.5"
    Woofer Composition Mineral-filled polypropylene Mineral-filled polypropylene
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type n/a Hard-Dome
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver 5.5" No
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 1007.0mm (39.6") 324.0mm (12.8")
    Width 228.0mm (9") 181.0mm (7.1")
    Depth 278.0mm (10.9") 277.0mm (10.9")
    Weight 15.91kg (35lbs) 5.45kg (12lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF/Vinyl MDF/Vinyl
    Available Colors Black Matte Black,Gloss White
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Recommended Stand Height n/a 26-28"
    Grille n/a Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No No
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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