In this review, we will be comparing Premier 500C and R400, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Paradigm and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm 500C and Polk R400 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 )
Polk R400 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer
- 48-39K Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-200watts
- Weight:14.91kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 199.0" x 24-5/16" x 14-5/8"( 199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm )
What size room are the Paradigm 500C and Polk R400 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 |
Polk R400 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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 500C and Polk R400 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 R400 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 |
Polk R400 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 R400 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Premier 500C has a frequency range of 73-25k Hz whereas R400 has a frequency range of 48-39K Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the R400 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 R400 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 R400's is at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Paradigm 500C a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R400, 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. 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.
Premier 500C can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Premier 500C has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS , 80 watts less than the R400.
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
Premier 500C features Binding post type posts and R400 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm 500C's Binding post terminals
Polk R400's Binding post terminals
Polk R400 dual Port
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 Polk R400'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 Polk R400 has external dimensions of 199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm ( 7-13/16 x 24-5/16 x 14-5/8inch) .
Polk R400 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 108mm wider, 10mm taller and 49mm deeper than Paradigm 500C.
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 Polk R400 is approximately 2299.0cm2 / 356.3inch2. The Premier 500C requires 28% less surface area than the R400 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.