In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Paradigm. Paradigm Premier 120B v2 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Premier 500C is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm Premier 120B v2 and Paradigm 500C first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm Premier 120B v2 | Paradigm 500C |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" X-PAL dome with PPA (Perforated Phase-Aligning) lens |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.5" | 2 x 5.5" carbon-infused polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 62-23k Hz | 73-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-130 watts | 15-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.39kg / 16.3lbs | 11.82kg / 26lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12-1/16" x 7" x 12-3/16"
306.4 x 177.8 x 309.6mm | 7-7/16" x 20-1/16" x 12-11/16"
189.0 x 510.0 x 323.0mm |
|---|
Premier 120B v2 and Premier 500C are members of Paradigm's Premier series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Paradigm Premier Series
History
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 Premier 120B v2 is a 2-way design whereas the Premier 500C is a 3-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 Premier 120B v2Paradigm 500C
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 Premier 120B v2 |
Paradigm 500C |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
Premier 120B v2 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1200Hz. On the other hand, the Premier 500C features a 1" aluminum X-PAL dome with PPA (Perforated Phase-Aligning) lens Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 5.5" carbon-infused polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 600Hz and 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Premier 120B v2 has a frequency range of 62-23k Hz whereas Premier 500C has a frequency range of 73-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 62Hz, the Premier 120B v2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Premier 500C's min frequency of 73Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Premier 120B v2 and Premier 500C have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Premier 120B v2 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Premier 500C's is at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Paradigm 500C a more sensitive speaker compared to Paradigm Premier 120B v2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Premier 120B v2 can handle a max power of 130 watts RMS, whereas Premier 500C has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 10 watts less than the Premier 120B v2.
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
Premier 120B v2 features Binding post type posts and Premier 500C has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm 500C's Binding post terminals
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 Premier 120B v2's and Paradigm 500C's external dimensions. Paradigm Premier 120B v2 has external dimensions of 306.4 x 177.8 x 309.6mm () whereas Paradigm 500C has external dimensions of 189.0 x 510.0 x 323.0mm (7-7/16 x 20-1/16 x 12-11/16inch).
Paradigm Premier 120B v2 is 332.2mm narrower and 13.4mm less deeper than Paradigm 500C but it is also 117.4mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Paradigm Premier 120B v2 and Paradigm 500C in scale.
Comparison image of Paradigm Premier 120B v2 and Paradigm 500C 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 Premier 120B v2 is approximately 550.5cm2 / 85.3inch2 and base area of the Paradigm 500C is approximately 1647.3cm2 / 255.3inch2. The Premier 120B v2 requires 67% less surface area than the Premier 500C which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Paradigm 500C?
Here are the items that come with the Premier 500C:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration Card