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  1. Home
  2. Paradigm Speakers
  3. Paradigm 800F vs Paradigm Premier 120B v2

Paradigm 800F vs Paradigm Premier 120B v2 Comparison

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Paradigm 800F

Passive Floor-standing | 43-25k Hz

Paradigm Premier 800F
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Paradigm Premier 120B v2

Passive Bookshelf | 62-23k Hz

Paradigm Premier 120B v2
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Paradigm 800F Paradigm 800F
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Paradigm Premier 120B v2 Paradigm Premier 120...
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Paradigm 800F
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Paradigm Premier 120...
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Paradigm 800F vs Paradigm Premier 120B v2 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Paradigm. Paradigm Premier 800F is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Premier 120B v2 is a Bookshelf speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Paradigm 800F and Paradigm Premier 120B v2 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key SpecsParadigm 800FParadigm Premier 120B v2
BrandParadigm
Canada · founded 1982
Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982
Design3-way2-way
Tweeter1"1" Hard-Dome
Midrange6.5"—
Woofer2 x 6.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene5.5"
Frequency response43-25k Hz62-23k Hz
Sensitivity92 dB90 dB
Impedance8 ohms8 ohms
Power range15-250 watts—
Weight24.27kg / 53.4lbs7.39kg / 16.3lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)42-1/8" x 9-1/4" x 13-7/8"
1070.0 x 235.0 x 353.0mm
12-1/16" x 7" x 12-3/16"
306.4 x 177.8 x 309.6mm

800F and Premier 120B v2 are members of Paradigm's Premier series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Paradigm Premier Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Paradigm 800F
Floor-standing 43-25k Hz 92 dB8Ω 2 x 6.5"
Paradigm 100B
  
Bookshelf 68-25k Hz 90 dB8Ω 1 x 5.5"
Paradigm 700F
  
Floor-standing 45-25k Hz 91 dB8Ω 2 x 5.5"
Paradigm 200B
  
Bookshelf 55-25k Hz 90 dB8Ω 1 x 6.5"
Paradigm 600C
  
Center Channel 60-25k Hz 94 dB8Ω 4 x 6.5"
Paradigm 500C
  
Center Channel 73-25k Hz 92 dB8Ω 2 x 5.5"
Paradigm Premier 220B v2
  
Bookshelf 58-23k Hz 91 dB8Ω 1 x 6"
Paradigm Premier 820 v2
  
Floor-standing 52-23k Hz 93 dB8Ω 2 x 7"
Paradigm Premier 520LCR v2
  
Center Channel 75-23k Hz 93 dB8Ω 2 x 6"
Paradigm Premier 120B v2
Bookshelf 62-23k Hz 90 dB8Ω 1 x 5.5"

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 800F is a 3-way design whereas the Premier 120B 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.

Tweeter - 1 inchMidrange - 6.5 inchWoofer - 6.5 inchWoofer - 6.5 inch
Paradigm 800F
Tweeter - 1 inchWoofer - 5.5 inch
Paradigm Premier 120B 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 800F Paradigm Premier 120B v2
Driver Setup 3-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange 1 x 6.5-inch -
Woofer 2 x 6.5-inch 1 x 5.5-inch

800F features a 1" Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the Premier 120B v2 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" Woofer.

Frequency Response

800F has a frequency range of 43-25k Hz whereas Premier 120B v2 has a frequency range of 62-23k 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 120B v2's min frequency of 62Hz.

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

800F
Premier 120B v2
Min
Average
Median

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

800F and Premier 120B v2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 800F sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Premier 120B v2's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Paradigm 800F a more sensitive speaker compared to Paradigm Premier 120B v2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

800F
Premier 120B v2
Min
Average
Median

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 800F
 
Paradigm Premier 120B v2
 

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

800F features Posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Premier 120B v2 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Paradigm 800F 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 800F's and Paradigm Premier 120B v2's external dimensions. 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) whereas Paradigm Premier 120B v2 has external dimensions of 306.4 x 177.8 x 309.6mm ().

Paradigm 800F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 57.2mm wider, 763.6mm taller and 43.4mm deeper than Paradigm Premier 120B v2.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Paradigm 800F and Paradigm Premier 120B v2 in scale.

Paradigm 800F vs Paradigm Premier 120B v2 Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Paradigm 800F and Paradigm Premier 120B 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 800F is approximately 829.6cm2 / 128.6inch2 and base area of the Paradigm Premier 120B v2 is approximately 550.5cm2 / 85.3inch2. The 800F requires 51% more surface area than the Premier 120B v2 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of Paradigm 800F?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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


Reasons to choose Paradigm Premier 800F over Paradigm Premier 120B v2

Driver Setup 3-way vs 2-way Have a dedicated mid-range driver
Sensitivity 92 dB vs 90 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Woofer Size 6.5 inches vs 5.5 inches Larger woofer
Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
Low Frequency Response 43 Hz vs 62 Hz Generates deeper bass
High Frequency Response 25k Hz vs 23k Hz Generates higher frequency

Reasons to choose Paradigm Premier 120B v2 over Paradigm Premier 800F

Height 306mm vs 1070mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area 550cm2 vs 829cm2 Takes less floor space

Paradigm 800F vs Paradigm Premier 120B v2 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications
General Paradigm Premier 800F Paradigm Premier 120B v2
Brand Paradigm Paradigm
Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Bookshelf speakers
Sensitivity 92 dB 90 dB
Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
Frequency Response 43-25k Hz 62-23k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity 2 1
Woofer Size 6.5" 5.5"
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 6.5" No
Firing Direction rear n/a
Physical Specs
Height 1070.0mm (42.1") 306.4mm (12.1")
Width 235.0mm (9.3") 177.8mm (7")
Depth 353.0mm (13.9") 309.6mm (12.2")
Weight 24.27kg (53.4lbs) 7.39kg (16.3lbs)
Enclosure Bass Reflex
Finish MDF/Lacquer MDF/Wood Veneer
Available Colors Gloss Black Black
Mounting Bracket No
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

Verdict

Siblings in Paradigm's Premier series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.

AreaBetterWhy
BassAParadigm 800F digs deeper - 43Hz against 62Hz.
Amplifier needsAParadigm 800F is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier.
SizedependsParadigm Premier 120B v2 is easier to place; Paradigm 800F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
TypedependsA Passive Floor-standing against a Passive Bookshelf - a different job rather than a better one.
ExpandabilityAParadigm 800F: bi-amping.

A Paradigm 800F  B Paradigm Premier 120B 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?

Paradigm 800F has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 62Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Paradigm 800F has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Paradigm Premier 120B 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.


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