In this review, we will be comparing SE 3000F and S55, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Paradigm and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm SE 3000F and Polk S55 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm SE 3000F | Polk S55 |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-21k Hz | 32-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-100 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.91kg / 35lbs | 20.00kg / 44lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39-5/8" x 8-15/16" x 10-15/16"
1007.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm | 41-9/16" x 11-3/4" x 12-3/8"
1056.0 x 299.0 x 315.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Paradigm SE 3000F and Polk S55 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 |
Polk S55 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that SE 3000F is a 3-way design whereas the S55 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.
Paradigm SE 3000FPolk S55
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Paradigm SE 3000F |
Polk S55 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 S55 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
SE 3000F has a frequency range of 55-21k Hz whereas S55 has a frequency range of 32-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the S55 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SE 3000F's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
SE 3000F and S55 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 S55's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Paradigm SE 3000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk S55, 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.
S55 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas SE 3000F has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the S55.
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
S55 features 5-way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SE 3000F has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm SE 3000F's Post terminals
Polk S55's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
SE 3000F has a rear firing port whereas S55 has a bottom firing ports. Polk S55's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Paradigm SE 3000F with its rear-firing port.
Polk S55 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 Paradigm SE 3000F's and Polk S55'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 Polk S55 has external dimensions of 1056.0 x 299.0 x 315.0mm (41-9/16 x 11-3/4 x 12-3/8inch).
Polk S55 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 71mm wider, 49mm taller and 37mm deeper than Paradigm SE 3000F.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Paradigm SE 3000F and Polk S55 in scale.
Comparison image of Paradigm SE 3000F and Polk S55 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 Paradigm SE 3000F is approximately 633.8cm2 / 98.2inch2 and base area of the Polk S55 is approximately 941.9cm2 / 146.0inch2. The SE 3000F requires 33% less surface area than the S55 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 Paradigm SE 3000F weighs 15.91kg / 35lbs and the Polk S55 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs. This makes the S55 26% heavier than the SE 3000F.
Here is a comparison of how SE 3000F and S55'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 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 Polk S55?
Here are the items that come with the S55:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Feet (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
1007mm
vs
1056mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
633cm2
vs
941cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
658USD
vs
700USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Paradigm Monitor SE 3000F |
Polk Audio Signature S55 |
| Brand |
Paradigm |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-100 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-21k Hz |
32-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mineral-filled polypropylene |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
1056.0mm (41.6") |
| Width |
228.0mm (9") |
299.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
278.0mm (10.9") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
15.91kg (35lbs) |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
Meddite MDF |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
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 | B | Polk S55 digs deeper - 32Hz against 55Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Polk S55 takes more power (200W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Paradigm SE 3000F is easier to place; Polk S55 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Polk S55: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($700 vs $658 a pair). |
A Paradigm SE 3000F B Polk S55
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?
Polk S55 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 55Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Paradigm SE 3000F the better fit for a small room, and Polk S55 for a large 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.