In this review, we will be comparing Premier 820 v2 and 800F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm Premier 820 v2 and Paradigm 800F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm Premier 820 v2 | Paradigm 800F |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" | 2 x 6.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 52-23k Hz | 43-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 93 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-250 watts | 15-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 29.48kg / 64.9lbs | 24.27kg / 53.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-7/16" x 13-1/8" x 18-5/8"
1103.3 x 333.4 x 473.1mm | 42-1/8" x 9-1/4" x 13-7/8"
1070.0 x 235.0 x 353.0mm |
|---|
Premier 820 v2 and 800F 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 820 v2 and 800F are 3-way speakers.
Paradigm Premier 820 v2Paradigm 800F
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 820 v2 |
Paradigm 800F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the 800F features a 1" Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 700Hz and 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Premier 820 v2 has a frequency range of 52-23k Hz whereas 800F has a frequency range of 43-25k 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 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
Premier 820 v2 and 800F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Premier 820 v2 sensitivity is rated at 93 dB and the 800F's is at 92 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Paradigm Premier 820 v2 a more sensitive speaker compared to Paradigm 800F, 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 and 800F have the same power range of 15-250 watts.
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
800F 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 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 Premier 820 v2's and Paradigm 800F's external dimensions. Paradigm Premier 820 v2 has external dimensions of 1103.3 x 333.4 x 473.1mm () whereas 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).
Paradigm Premier 820 v2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 98.4mm wider, 33.3mm taller and 120.1mm deeper than Paradigm 800F.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Paradigm Premier 820 v2 and Paradigm 800F in scale.
Comparison image of Paradigm Premier 820 v2 and Paradigm 800F 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 Premier 820 v2 is approximately 1577.3cm2 / 244.5inch2 and base area of the Paradigm 800F is approximately 829.6cm2 / 128.6inch2. The Premier 820 v2 requires 90% more surface area than the 800F 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 Premier 820 v2 weighs 29.48kg / 64.9lbs and the Paradigm 800F weighs 24.27kg / 53.4lbs. This makes the Premier 820 v2 21% heavier than the 800F.
Here is a comparison of how Premier 820 v2 and 800F'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 come with the 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
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
43 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1070mm
vs
1103mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
829cm2
vs
1577cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2400USD
vs
2600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Paradigm Premier 820 v2 |
Paradigm Premier 800F |
| Brand |
Paradigm |
Paradigm |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-250 watts |
15-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
93 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
52-23k Hz |
43-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 1800Hz |
700Hz and 2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1103.3mm (43.4") |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
| Width |
333.4mm (13.1") |
235.0mm (9.3") |
| Depth |
473.1mm (18.6") |
353.0mm (13.9") |
| Weight |
29.48kg (64.9lbs) |
24.27kg (53.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
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 | B | Paradigm 800F digs deeper - 43Hz against 52Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (93dB vs 92dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (250W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | Paradigm 800F is easier to place; Paradigm Premier 820 v2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Paradigm 800F: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,600 vs $2,400 a pair). |
A Paradigm Premier 820 v2 B Paradigm 800F
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 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 800F 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.