In this review, we will be comparing Premier 500C and RP-500C, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Paradigm and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm 500C and Klipsch RP-500C first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm 500C | Klipsch RP-500C |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" X-PAL dome with PPA (Perforated Phase-Aligning) lens | 1" Tractrix horn |
|---|
| Midrange | 4" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.5" carbon-infused polypropylene | 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 73-25k Hz | 60-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-120 watts | up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.82kg / 26lbs | 8.18kg / 18lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-7/16" x 20-1/16" x 12-11/16"
189.0 x 510.0 x 323.0mm | 6-7/8" x 18-9/16" x 10"
175.0 x 472.0 x 254.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Paradigm 500C and Klipsch RP-500C 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 500C |
Klipsch RP-500C |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Premier 500C is a 3-way design whereas the RP-500C 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 500CKlipsch RP-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 500C |
Klipsch RP-500C |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the RP-500C features a 1" titanium Tractrix horn Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic cone Woofer.
Frequency Response
Premier 500C has a frequency range of 73-25k Hz whereas RP-500C has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 60Hz, the RP-500C 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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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 500C and RP-500C have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Premier 500C sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the RP-500C's is at 96 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-500C a more sensitive speaker compared to Paradigm 500C, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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 500C can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas RP-500C has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Premier 500C.
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 500C features Binding post type posts and RP-500C has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm 500C's Binding post terminals
Klipsch RP-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 500C's and Klipsch RP-500C's external dimensions. 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) whereas Klipsch RP-500C has external dimensions of 175.0 x 472.0 x 254.0mm (6-7/8 x 18-9/16 x 10inch).
Paradigm 500C is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 38mm wider, 14mm taller and 69mm deeper than Klipsch RP-500C.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Paradigm 500C and Klipsch RP-500C in scale.
Comparison image of Paradigm 500C and Klipsch RP-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 500C is approximately 1647.3cm2 / 255.3inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-500C is approximately 1198.9cm2 / 185.8inch2. The Premier 500C requires 37% more surface area than the RP-500C 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 500C weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs and the Klipsch RP-500C weighs 8.18kg / 18lbs. This makes the Premier 500C 44% heavier than the RP-500C.
Here is a comparison of how Premier 500C and RP-500C's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Paradigm 500C?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Premier 500C:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration Card
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-500C?
Here are the items that come with the RP-500C:
- Center channel loudspeaker
- Grille (installed)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Tilt rod (attached nut)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Low Frequency Response |
60 Hz
vs
73 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
175mm
vs
189mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1198cm2
vs
1647cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
379USD
vs
850USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Paradigm Premier 500C |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-500C |
| Brand |
Paradigm |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
15-120 watts |
up to 100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
73-25k Hz |
60-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
carbon-infused polypropylene |
Cerametallic cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
X-PAL dome with PPA (Perforated Phase-Aligning) lens |
Tractrix horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
189.0mm (7.4") |
175.0mm (6.9") |
| Width |
510.0mm (20.1") |
472.0mm (18.6") |
| Depth |
323.0mm (12.7") |
254.0mm (10") |
| Weight |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
8.18kg (18lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Gloss White |
Walnut, Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Paradigm 500C costs roughly 2.2x what Klipsch RP-500C does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Klipsch RP-500C digs deeper - 60Hz against 73Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-500C is more sensitive (96dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Klipsch RP-500C is easier to place; Paradigm 500C is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Klipsch RP-500C sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Klipsch RP-500C is cheaper - $379 against $850, about 55% less; arguably a different class. |
A Paradigm 500C B Klipsch RP-500C
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?
Klipsch RP-500C is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Paradigm 500C if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 73Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Paradigm 500C the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Klipsch RP-500C for near-field listening and a small 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.