In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Paradigm. Paradigm Premier 620C v2 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Premier 820 v2 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm Premier 620C v2 and Paradigm Premier 820 v2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm Premier 620C v2 | Paradigm Premier 820 v2 |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" | 2 x 7" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 49-23k Hz | 52-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 93 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-180 watts | 15-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.82kg / 48lbs | 29.48kg / 64.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 9" x 41" x 13-3/4"
228.6 x 1041.4 x 349.3mm | 43-7/16" x 13-1/8" x 18-5/8"
1103.3 x 333.4 x 473.1mm |
|---|
Premier 620C v2 and Premier 820 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
Both Premier 620C v2 and Premier 820 v2 are 3-way speakers.
Paradigm Premier 620C v2Paradigm Premier 820 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 820 v2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 7-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 820 v2 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 1800Hz.
Frequency Response
Premier 620C v2 has a frequency range of 49-23k Hz whereas Premier 820 v2 has a frequency range of 52-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 49Hz, the Premier 620C v2 can go slightly deeper then the Premier 820 v2's min frequency of 52Hz.
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 820 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 820 v2 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Premier 620C v2 has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the Premier 820 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Premier 620C v2 features Binding post type posts and Premier 820 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 820 v2's external dimensions. Paradigm Premier 620C v2 has external dimensions of 228.6 x 1041.4 x 349.3mm () whereas Paradigm Premier 820 v2 has external dimensions of 1103.3 x 333.4 x 473.1mm ().
Paradigm Premier 620C v2 is 874.7mm shorter and 123.8mm less deeper than Paradigm Premier 820 v2 but it is also 708mm wider.
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 131% more floor or shelf area. Paradigm Premier 820 v2 is 124mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Paradigm Premier 820 v2 is 875mm 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 820 v2 is approximately 1577.3cm2 / 244.5inch2. The Premier 620C v2 requires 131% more surface area than the Premier 820 v2 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.