In this review, we will be comparing 700F and SE 8000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm 700F and Paradigm SE 8000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm 700F | Paradigm SE 8000F |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene | 3 x 8" Mineral-filled polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-25k Hz | 45-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 95 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-180 watts | 15-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.91kg / 48.2lbs | 31.36kg / 69lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-1/16" x 8-7/16" x 12-7/8"
1018.0 x 215.0 x 328.0mm | 46" x 11-3/4" x 17-3/4"
1169.0 x 299.0 x 451.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Paradigm 700F and Paradigm SE 8000F 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 700F |
Paradigm SE 8000F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.)
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 700F and SE 8000F are 3-way speakers.
Paradigm 700FParadigm SE 8000F
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 700F |
Paradigm SE 8000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
700F features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.5" Midrange and 2 x 5.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the SE 8000F features a 1" Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 8" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
700F has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz whereas SE 8000F has a frequency range of 45-21k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
700F and SE 8000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 700F sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the SE 8000F's is at 95 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Paradigm SE 8000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Paradigm 700F, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
700F can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS, whereas SE 8000F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the 700F.
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
700F features Posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SE 8000F has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm 700F's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Paradigm SE 8000F's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 700F and SE 8000F have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 700F's and Paradigm SE 8000F's external dimensions. Paradigm 700F has external dimensions of 1018.0 x 215.0 x 328.0mm (40-1/16 x 8-7/16 x 12-7/8inch) whereas Paradigm SE 8000F has external dimensions of 1169.0 x 299.0 x 451.0mm (46 x 11-3/4 x 17-3/4inch).
Paradigm SE 8000F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 84mm wider, 151mm taller and 123mm deeper than Paradigm 700F.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Paradigm 700F and Paradigm SE 8000F in scale.
Comparison image of Paradigm 700F and Paradigm SE 8000F Size and External Dimensions
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 700F is approximately 705.2cm2 / 109.3inch2 and base area of the Paradigm SE 8000F is approximately 1348.5cm2 / 209.0inch2. The 700F requires 48% less surface area than the SE 8000F which gives it a small advantage 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 700F weighs 21.91kg / 48.2lbs and the Paradigm SE 8000F weighs 31.36kg / 69lbs. This makes the SE 8000F 43% heavier than the 700F.
Here is a comparison of how 700F and SE 8000F's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Paradigm 700F?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 700F:
- 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
What's in the Box of Paradigm SE 8000F?
Here are the items that come with the SE 8000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
4 Rubber feet
4 Spike feet
Owner's Manual
Online Registration Card
Unboxing Instructions
 Max Input Power |
180 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1018mm
vs
1169mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
705cm2
vs
1348cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
95 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| General |
Paradigm Premier 700F |
Paradigm Monitor SE 8000F |
| Brand |
Paradigm |
Paradigm |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-180 watts |
15-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
95 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-25k Hz |
45-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
Mineral-filled polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.5" |
6.5" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1018.0mm (40.1") |
1169.0mm (46") |
| Width |
215.0mm (8.5") |
299.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
328.0mm (12.9") |
451.0mm (17.8") |
| Weight |
21.91kg (48.2lbs) |
31.36kg (69lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Both are Paradigm, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (45Hz vs 45Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Paradigm SE 8000F is more sensitive (95dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (180W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Paradigm 700F is easier to place; Paradigm SE 8000F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Paradigm 700F: bi-amping. Paradigm 700F sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,700 vs $1,700 a pair). |
A Paradigm 700F B Paradigm SE 8000F
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. In a large or open-plan room, Paradigm SE 8000F has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Paradigm 700F is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Paradigm SE 8000F is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.