In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Paradigm. Paradigm Premier 120B v2 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the 700F is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm Premier 120B v2 and Paradigm 700F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm Premier 120B v2 | Paradigm 700F |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.5" | 2 x 5.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 62-23k Hz | 45-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-130 watts | 15-180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.39kg / 16.3lbs | 21.91kg / 48.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12-1/16" x 7" x 12-3/16"
306.4 x 177.8 x 309.6mm | 40-1/16" x 8-7/16" x 12-7/8"
1018.0 x 215.0 x 328.0mm |
|---|
Premier 120B v2 and 700F 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 700F 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 700F
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 700F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.5-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 700F features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.5" Midrange and 2 x 5.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 800Hz and 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Premier 120B v2 has a frequency range of 62-23k Hz whereas 700F has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the 700F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Premier 120B v2's min frequency of 62Hz.
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 700F 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 700F's is at 91 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Paradigm 700F 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.
700F can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS, whereas Premier 120B v2 has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the 700F.
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
700F features Posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Premier 120B v2 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm 700F's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 700F's external dimensions. Paradigm Premier 120B v2 has external dimensions of 306.4 x 177.8 x 309.6mm () whereas Paradigm 700F has external dimensions of 1018.0 x 215.0 x 328.0mm (40-1/16 x 8-7/16 x 12-7/8inch).
Paradigm 700F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 37.2mm wider, 711.6mm taller and 18.4mm deeper than Paradigm Premier 120B v2.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Paradigm Premier 120B v2 and Paradigm 700F in scale.
Comparison image of Paradigm Premier 120B v2 and Paradigm 700F 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 700F is approximately 705.2cm2 / 109.3inch2. The Premier 120B v2 requires 22% less surface area than the 700F which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Paradigm 700F?
Here are the items that come with the 700F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
Grille
4 Rubber feet
4 Spike feet
4 Hex-nuts
2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)
Owner's Manual
Online Registration Card
Unboxing Instructions