In this review, we will be comparing 700F and Premier 820 v2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm 700F and Paradigm Premier 820 v2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm 700F | Paradigm Premier 820 v2 |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.5" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene | 2 x 7" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-25k Hz | 52-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-180 watts | 15-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.91kg / 48.2lbs | 29.48kg / 64.9lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 43-7/16" x 13-1/8" x 18-5/8"
1103.3 x 333.4 x 473.1mm |
|---|
700F 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 700F and Premier 820 v2 are 3-way speakers.
Paradigm 700FParadigm 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 700F |
Paradigm Premier 820 v2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 7-inch
|
700F features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.5" Midrange and 2 x 5.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 800Hz and 2500Hz. 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
700F has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz whereas Premier 820 v2 has a frequency range of 52-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the 700F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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 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 Premier 820 v2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 700F sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Premier 820 v2's is at 93 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Paradigm Premier 820 v2 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.
Premier 820 v2 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas 700F 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
700F features Posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Premier 820 v2 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm 700F'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 700F's and Paradigm Premier 820 v2'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 Premier 820 v2 has external dimensions of 1103.3 x 333.4 x 473.1mm ().
Paradigm Premier 820 v2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 118.4mm wider, 85.3mm taller and 145.1mm deeper than Paradigm 700F.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Paradigm 700F and Paradigm Premier 820 v2 in scale.
Comparison image of Paradigm 700F and Paradigm Premier 820 v2 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 Premier 820 v2 is approximately 1577.3cm2 / 244.5inch2. The 700F requires 55% less surface area than the Premier 820 v2 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 Premier 820 v2 weighs 29.48kg / 64.9lbs. This makes the Premier 820 v2 35% heavier than the 700F.
Here is a comparison of how 700F and Premier 820 v2'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
 Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1018mm
vs
1103mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
705cm2
vs
1577cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1800USD
vs
2600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
Paradigm Premier 700F |
Paradigm Premier 820 v2 |
| Brand |
Paradigm |
Paradigm |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-180 watts |
15-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
93 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-25k Hz |
52-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
|
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.5" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
800Hz and 2500Hz |
450Hz and 1800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1018.0mm (40.1") |
1103.3mm (43.4") |
| Width |
215.0mm (8.5") |
333.4mm (13.1") |
| Depth |
328.0mm (12.9") |
473.1mm (18.6") |
| Weight |
21.91kg (48.2lbs) |
29.48kg (64.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
|
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
n/a |
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 700F digs deeper - 45Hz against 52Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Paradigm Premier 820 v2 is more sensitive (93dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Paradigm Premier 820 v2 takes more power (250W vs 180W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Paradigm 700F is easier to place; Paradigm Premier 820 v2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Paradigm 700F: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Paradigm 700F is cheaper - $1,800 against $2,600, about 31% less. |
A Paradigm 700F B Paradigm Premier 820 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 52Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Paradigm Premier 820 v2 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.
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.