In this review, we will be comparing 800F and 700F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Paradigm Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm 800F and Paradigm 700F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
800F and 700F are members of Paradigm's Premier series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Paradigm Premier Series History
What size room are the Paradigm 800F and Paradigm 700F 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Paradigm 800F and Paradigm 700F compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both 800F and 700F are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Paradigm 800F |
Paradigm 700F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 5.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 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 700F features a 1" Tweeter , a 5.5" Midrange and 2 x 5.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
800F has a frequency range of 43-25k Hz whereas 700F has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 43Hz, the 800F can go slightly deeper then the 700F's min frequency of 45Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
800F and 700F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 800F sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the 700F's is at 91 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Paradigm 800F 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. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
800F can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 700F has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the 800F.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both 800F and 700F features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Paradigm 800F's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Paradigm 700F's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 800F and 700F 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
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 700F'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 700F has external dimensions of 1018.0 x 215.0 x 328.0mm ( 40-1/16 x 8-7/16 x 12-7/8inch) .
Paradigm 800F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 20mm wider, 52mm taller and 25mm deeper than Paradigm 700F.
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 700F is approximately 705.2cm2 / 109.3inch2. The 800F requires 18% more surface area than the 700F 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 800F weighs 24.27kg / 53.4lbs and the Paradigm 700F weighs 21.91kg / 48.2lbs. This makes the 800F 11% heavier than the 700F.
Here is a comparison of how 800F and 700F'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 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
What's in the Box of Paradigm 700F?
Here are the items that come with the 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
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
43 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1018mm
vs
1070mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
705cm2 (215x328mm)
vs
829cm2 (235x353mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1700USD
vs
2200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Paradigm Premier 800F |
Paradigm Premier 700F |
| Brand |
Paradigm |
Paradigm |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-250 watts |
15-180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
43-25k Hz |
45-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
5.5" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
1018.0mm (40.1") |
| Width |
235.0mm (9.3") |
215.0mm (8.5") |
| Depth |
353.0mm (13.9") |
328.0mm (12.9") |
| Weight |
24.27kg (53.4lbs) |
21.91kg (48.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |