In this review, we will be comparing Premier 620C v2 and Premier 520LCR v2, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm Premier 620C v2 and Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm Premier 620C v2 | Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2 |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" | 2 x 6" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 49-23k Hz | 75-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 93 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-180 watts | 15-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.82kg / 48lbs | 14.11kg / 31lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 9" x 41" x 13-3/4"
228.6 x 1041.4 x 349.3mm | 8-5/16" x 23-7/16" x 12-1/8"
211.1 x 595.3 x 308.0mm |
|---|
Premier 620C v2 and Premier 520LCR v2 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 620C v2 is a 3-way design whereas the Premier 520LCR 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.
Paradigm Premier 620C v2Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2
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 620C v2 |
Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Premier 620C v2 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 750Hz and 1700Hz. On the other hand, the Premier 520LCR v2 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 650Hz and 1500Hz.
Frequency Response
Premier 620C v2 has a frequency range of 49-23k Hz whereas Premier 520LCR v2 has a frequency range of 75-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 49Hz, the Premier 620C v2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Premier 520LCR v2's min frequency of 75Hz.
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 620C v2 and Premier 520LCR v2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 93 dB.
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 620C v2 can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS, whereas Premier 520LCR v2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the Premier 620C v2.
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.
Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Premier 620C v2 features Binding post type posts and Premier 520LCR v2 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/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 620C v2's and Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2's external dimensions. Paradigm Premier 620C v2 has external dimensions of 228.6 x 1041.4 x 349.3mm () whereas Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2 has external dimensions of 211.1 x 595.3 x 308.0mm ().
Paradigm Premier 620C v2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 446.1mm wider, 17.5mm taller and 41.3mm deeper than Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Paradigm Premier 620C v2 needs about 98% more floor or shelf area. Paradigm Premier 620C v2 is 41mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Paradigm Premier 620C v2 is 18mm taller.
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 620C v2 is approximately 3637.6cm2 / 563.8inch2 and base area of the Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2 is approximately 1833.5cm2 / 284.2inch2. The Premier 620C v2 requires 98% more surface area than the Premier 520LCR v2 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 Premier 620C v2 weighs 21.82kg / 48lbs and the Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2 weighs 14.11kg / 31lbs. This makes the Premier 620C v2 55% heavier than the Premier 520LCR v2.
Here is a comparison of how Premier 620C v2 and Premier 520LCR v2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2
 Max Input Power |
180 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
49 Hz
vs
75 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
211mm
vs
228mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1833cm2
vs
3637cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
900USD
vs
1300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Paradigm Premier 620C v2 |
Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2 |
| Brand |
Paradigm |
Paradigm |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
15-180 watts |
15-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
93 dB |
93 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
49-23k Hz |
75-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
|
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
750Hz and 1700Hz |
650Hz and 1500Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
228.6mm (9") |
211.1mm (8.3") |
| Width |
1041.4mm (41") |
595.3mm (23.4") |
| Depth |
349.3mm (13.8") |
308.0mm (12.1") |
| Weight |
21.82kg (48lbs) |
14.11kg (31lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
|
| Available Colors |
Black |
Gloss Black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Paradigm's Premier series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Paradigm Premier 620C v2 digs deeper - 49Hz against 75Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (93dB vs 93dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Paradigm Premier 620C v2 takes more power (180W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2 is easier to place; Paradigm Premier 620C v2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Sealed. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Price | B | Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2 is cheaper - $900 against $1,300, about 31% less. |
A Paradigm Premier 620C v2 B Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2
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?
The usual trade-off: Paradigm Premier 620C v2 measures better, Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2 costs about about 44% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 75Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Paradigm Premier 620C v2 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.