In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Paradigm. Paradigm Monitor SE 8000F 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 8000F and Paradigm SE Atom first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Paradigm SE 8000F Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 3 x 8" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer
- 45-21k Hz Frequency Response
- 95 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-150watts
- Weight:31.36kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1169.0" x 11-3/4" x 17-3/4"( 1169.0 x 299.0 x 451.0mm )
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 8000F 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
What size room are the Paradigm SE 8000F 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 8000F |
Paradigm SE Atom |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Average |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Paradigm SE 8000F 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.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that SE 8000F 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 8000F |
Paradigm SE Atom |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 8-inch
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
SE 8000F features a 1" Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 8" 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 8000F has a frequency range of 45-21k Hz whereas Monitor SE Atom has a frequency range of 61-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the SE 8000F 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
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
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 8000F and Monitor SE Atom have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. SE 8000F sensitivity is rated at 95 dB and the Monitor SE Atom's is at 89 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Paradigm SE 8000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Paradigm SE Atom, 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. 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 8000F can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Monitor SE Atom has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the SE 8000F.
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 8000F features Post type posts and Monitor SE Atom has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm SE 8000F's Post terminals
Paradigm SE Atom's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both SE 8000F 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 8000F's and Paradigm SE Atom's external dimensions. Paradigm SE 8000F has external dimensions of 1169.0 x 299.0 x 451.0mm ( 46 x 11-3/4 x 17-3/4inch) 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 8000F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 118mm wider, 845mm taller and 174mm 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 8000F is approximately 1348.5cm2 / 209.0inch2 and base area of the Paradigm SE Atom is approximately 501.4cm2 / 77.7inch2. The SE 8000F requires 169% 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 8000F?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SE 8000F:
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
Max Input Power 
Driver Setup 
Sensitivity 
Woofer Size 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair*