In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Paradigm. Paradigm Premier 600C is a Center Channel speaker whereas the 800F is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm 600C and Paradigm 800F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm 600C | Paradigm 800F |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" X-PAL dome with PPA (Perforated Phase-Aligning) lens | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 4" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 6.5" carbon-infused polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-25k Hz | 43-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 94 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-180 watts | 15-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 19.55kg / 43lbs | 24.27kg / 53.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-3/16" x 35-11/16" x 13-11/16"
208.0 x 907.0 x 348.0mm | 42-1/8" x 9-1/4" x 13-7/8"
1070.0 x 235.0 x 353.0mm |
|---|
Premier 600C and 800F are members of Paradigm's Premier series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Paradigm Premier Series
History
What size room are the Paradigm 600C and Paradigm 800F 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 600C |
Paradigm 800F |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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
Both Premier 600C and 800F are 3-way speakers.
Paradigm 600CParadigm 800F
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 600C |
Paradigm 800F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Premier 600C features a 1" aluminum X-PAL dome with PPA (Perforated Phase-Aligning) lens Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" carbon-infused polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the 800F features a 1" Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Premier 600C has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz whereas 800F has a frequency range of 43-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 43Hz, the 800F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Premier 600C's min frequency of 60Hz.
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 600C and 800F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Premier 600C sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the 800F's is at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Paradigm 600C a more sensitive speaker compared to Paradigm 800F, 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.
800F can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Premier 600C has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the 800F.
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
800F features Posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Premier 600C has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm 600C's Binding post terminals
Paradigm 800F'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 600C's and Paradigm 800F's external dimensions. Paradigm 600C has external dimensions of 208.0 x 907.0 x 348.0mm (8-3/16 x 35-11/16 x 13-11/16inch) whereas Paradigm 800F has external dimensions of 1070.0 x 235.0 x 353.0mm (42-1/8 x 9-1/4 x 13-7/8inch).
Paradigm 600C is 862mm shorter and 5mm less deeper than Paradigm 800F but it is also 672mm wider.
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 600C is approximately 3156.4cm2 / 489.2inch2 and base area of the Paradigm 800F is approximately 829.6cm2 / 128.6inch2. The Premier 600C requires 280% more surface area than the 800F which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Paradigm 600C?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Premier 600C:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration Card
- Center Channel Elevation Gauge
What's in the Box of Paradigm 800F?
Here are the items that come with the 800F:
- 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