In this review, we will be comparing R700 and SE 8000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R700 and Paradigm SE 8000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk R700 | Paradigm SE 8000F |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Polypropylene | 3 x 8" Mineral-filled polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-38k Hz | 45-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 95 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 15-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 35.90kg / 79lbs | 31.36kg / 69lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45" x 12.6" x 16.9"
1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm | 46" x 11-3/4" x 17-3/4"
1169.0 x 299.0 x 451.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk R700 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* |
Polk R700 |
Paradigm SE 8000F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both R700 and SE 8000F are 3-way speakers.
Polk R700Paradigm 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 |
Polk R700 |
Paradigm SE 8000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz. 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
R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz whereas SE 8000F has a frequency range of 45-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the R700 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SE 8000F's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
R700 and SE 8000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R700 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the SE 8000F's is at 95 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the Paradigm SE 8000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R700, 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.
R700 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas SE 8000F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the R700.
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
R700 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SE 8000F has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Paradigm SE 8000F's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
R700 has a bottom firing port whereas SE 8000F has a rear firing ports. Polk R700's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Paradigm SE 8000F with its rear-firing port.
Polk R700 Port
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 Polk R700's and Paradigm SE 8000F's external dimensions. Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm (45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch) 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).
Polk R700 is 25.2mm shorter and 22.7mm less deeper than Paradigm SE 8000F but it is also 21.7mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R700 and Paradigm SE 8000F in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R700 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 Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2 and base area of the Paradigm SE 8000F is approximately 1348.5cm2 / 209.0inch2. The R700 requires 2% more surface area than the SE 8000F 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 Polk R700 weighs 35.90kg / 79lbs and the Paradigm SE 8000F weighs 31.36kg / 69lbs. This makes the R700 14% heavier than the SE 8000F.
Here is a comparison of how R700 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 Polk R700?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R700:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
- Grille
- Hex-key
- Owner's Manual
- Online Registration
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 |
300 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1143mm
vs
1169mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Sensitivity |
95 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Base Surface Area |
1348cm2
vs
1373cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1700USD
vs
2198USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio Reserve R700 |
Paradigm Monitor SE 8000F |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Paradigm |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
15-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
95 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
38-38k Hz |
45-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Mineral-filled polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
350Hz and 2700Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1143.8mm (45") |
1169.0mm (46") |
| Width |
320.7mm (12.6") |
299.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
428.3mm (16.9") |
451.0mm (17.8") |
| Weight |
35.90kg (79lbs) |
31.36kg (69lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, White |
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 |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Polk R700 digs deeper - 38Hz against 45Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Paradigm SE 8000F is more sensitive (95dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Polk R700 takes more power (300W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | Polk R700: bi-amping. Polk R700 sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Paradigm SE 8000F is cheaper - $1,700 against $2,198, about 23% less. |
A Polk R700 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?
The usual trade-off: Polk R700 measures better, Paradigm SE 8000F costs about about 29% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 45Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Paradigm SE 8000F much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Polk R700 the better fit for a very large room, and Paradigm SE 8000F for a mid-size room.
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.