In this review, we will be comparing SE 6000F and SE 3000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm SE 6000F and Paradigm SE 3000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm SE 6000F | Paradigm SE 3000F |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.5" | 5.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene | 2 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 53-21k Hz | 55-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 93 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-100 watts | 15-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.00kg / 44lbs | 15.91kg / 35lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-3/8" x 8-15/16" x 14-3/16"
1051.0 x 228.0 x 361.0mm | 39-5/8" x 8-15/16" x 10-15/16"
1007.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm |
|---|
SE 6000F and SE 3000F are members of Paradigm's Monitor SE series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Paradigm Monitor SE Series
History
What size room are the Paradigm SE 6000F and Paradigm SE 3000F 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 6000F |
Paradigm SE 3000F |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both SE 6000F and SE 3000F are 3-way speakers.
Paradigm SE 6000FParadigm SE 3000F
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 6000F |
Paradigm SE 3000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.5-inch |
1 x 5.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
SE 6000F features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.5" Midrange and 3 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the SE 3000F features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.5" Midrange and 2 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
SE 6000F has a frequency range of 53-21k Hz whereas SE 3000F has a frequency range of 55-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 53Hz, the SE 6000F can go slightly deeper then 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 6000F and SE 3000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. SE 6000F sensitivity is rated at 93 dB and the SE 3000F's is at 91 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Paradigm SE 6000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Paradigm SE 3000F, 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.
SE 6000F and SE 3000F have the same power range of 15-100 watts.
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
SE 6000F features Post type posts and SE 3000F has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm SE 6000F's Post terminals
Paradigm SE 3000F's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both SE 6000F and SE 3000F 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 Paradigm SE 6000F's and Paradigm SE 3000F's external dimensions. 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) whereas 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).
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Paradigm SE 6000F and Paradigm SE 3000F in scale.
Comparison image of Paradigm SE 6000F and Paradigm SE 3000F 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 6000F is approximately 823.1cm2 / 127.6inch2 and base area of the Paradigm SE 3000F is approximately 633.8cm2 / 98.2inch2. The SE 6000F requires 30% more surface area than the SE 3000F which gives it a small disadvantage 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 6000F weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the Paradigm SE 3000F weighs 15.91kg / 35lbs. This makes the SE 6000F 26% heavier than the SE 3000F.
Here is a comparison of how SE 6000F and SE 3000F'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 6000F?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SE 6000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
4 Rubber feet
4 Spike feet
Owner's Manual
Online Registration Card
Unboxing Instructions
What's in the Box of Paradigm SE 3000F?
Here are the items that come with the SE 3000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
4 Rubber feet
4 Spike feet
Owner's Manual
Online Registration Card
Unboxing Instructions
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
53 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1007mm
vs
1051mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
633cm2
vs
823cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
700USD
vs
1000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Paradigm Monitor SE 6000F |
Paradigm Monitor SE 3000F |
| Brand |
Paradigm |
Paradigm |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-100 watts |
15-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
93 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
53-21k Hz |
55-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mineral-filled polypropylene |
Mineral-filled polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.5" |
5.5" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1051.0mm (41.4") |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
| Width |
228.0mm (9") |
228.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
361.0mm (14.2") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
15.91kg (35lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Paradigm's Monitor SE series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (53Hz vs 55Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | Paradigm SE 6000F is more sensitive (93dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Paradigm SE 3000F is easier to place; Paradigm SE 6000F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | Paradigm SE 3000F is cheaper - $700 against $1,000, about 30% less. |
A Paradigm SE 6000F B Paradigm SE 3000F
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?
Paradigm SE 6000F is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 43% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Paradigm SE 3000F looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Paradigm SE 6000F appeals to you. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Paradigm SE 6000F is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $300 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.