In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Paradigm. Paradigm Premier 500C is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Premier 220B v2 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm 500C and Paradigm Premier 220B v2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Paradigm 500C Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" X-PAL dome with PPA (Perforated Phase-Aligning) lens Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 2 x 5.5" carbon-infused polypropylene Woofer
- 73-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-120watts
- Weight:11.82kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 189.0" x 20-1/16" x 12-11/16"( 189.0 x 510.0 x 323.0mm )
Paradigm Premier 220B v2 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 6" Woofer
- 58-23k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Weight:kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): " x 8-5/16" x 13"
Premier 500C and Premier 220B v2 are members of Paradigm's Premier series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Paradigm Premier Series
History
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Paradigm 500C and Paradigm Premier 220B v2 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 Premier 500C is a 3-way design whereas the Premier 220B v2 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 500C |
Paradigm Premier 220B v2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
1 x 6-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 Premier 220B v2 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Woofer .
Frequency Response
Premier 500C has a frequency range of 73-25k Hz whereas Premier 220B v2 has a frequency range of 58-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 58Hz, the Premier 220B v2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Premier 500C's min frequency of 73Hz.
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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel 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
Premier 500C and Premier 220B v2 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 Premier 220B v2's is at 91 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Paradigm 500C a more sensitive speaker compared to Paradigm Premier 220B v2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Premier 500C features Binding post type posts and Premier 220B v2 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm 500C's Binding post terminals
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 500C's and Paradigm Premier 220B v2'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 Paradigm Premier 220B v2 has external dimensions of ( ) .
Paradigm 500C is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 510mm wider, 189mm taller and 323mm deeper than Paradigm Premier 220B v2.
What's in the Box of Paradigm 500C?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Premier 500C:
Center-channel loudspeakerGrille2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)4 Rubber feetOwners ManualOnline Registration Card