In this review, we will be comparing Prime Pinnacle and 800F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Pinnacle and Paradigm 800F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | SVS Prime Pinnacle | Paradigm 800F |
|---|
| Brand | SVS
United States · founded 1998 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 29-25k Hz | 43-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-300 watts | 15-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 25.95kg / 57.1lbs | 24.27kg / 53.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41" x 8" x 13-15/16"
1042.0 x 204.0 x 355.0mm | 42-1/8" x 9-1/4" x 13-7/8"
1070.0 x 235.0 x 353.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the SVS Prime Pinnacle and Paradigm 800F 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* |
SVS Prime Pinnacle |
Paradigm 800F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* 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 Prime Pinnacle and 800F are 3-way speakers.
SVS Prime PinnacleParadigm 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 |
SVS Prime Pinnacle |
Paradigm 800F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Prime Pinnacle features a 1" aluminum dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 300Hz and 2100Hz. On the other hand, the 800F features a 1" Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Prime Pinnacle has a frequency range of 29-25k Hz whereas 800F has a frequency range of 43-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Prime Pinnacle can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 800F's min frequency of 43Hz.
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
Prime Pinnacle and 800F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Prime Pinnacle sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the 800F's is at 92 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Paradigm 800F a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Prime Pinnacle, 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.
Prime Pinnacle can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas 800F has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Prime Pinnacle.
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. Prime Pinnacle has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Pinnacle's 5-Way post terminals
Paradigm 800F's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Prime Pinnacle and 800F 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
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 SVS Prime Pinnacle's and Paradigm 800F's external dimensions. SVS Prime Pinnacle has external dimensions of 1042.0 x 204.0 x 355.0mm (41 x 8 x 13-15/16inch) 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).
SVS Prime Pinnacle is 31mm narrower and 28mm shorter than Paradigm 800F but it is also 2mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Prime Pinnacle and Paradigm 800F in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Prime Pinnacle 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 SVS Prime Pinnacle is approximately 724.2cm2 / 112.3inch2 and base area of the Paradigm 800F is approximately 829.6cm2 / 128.6inch2. The Prime Pinnacle requires 13% less surface area than the 800F 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 SVS Prime Pinnacle weighs 25.95kg / 57.1lbs and the Paradigm 800F weighs 24.27kg / 53.4lbs. This makes the Prime Pinnacle 7% heavier than the 800F.
Here is a comparison of how Prime Pinnacle 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 SVS Prime Pinnacle?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Prime Pinnacle:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (pre-installed)
- 4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Protective discs
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
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
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
29 Hz
vs
43 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1042mm
vs
1070mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
724cm2
vs
829cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2000USD
vs
2200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
SVS Prime Pinnacle |
Paradigm Premier 800F |
| Brand |
SVS |
Paradigm |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
15-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
29-25k Hz |
43-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
300Hz and 2100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1042.0mm (41") |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
| Width |
204.0mm (8") |
235.0mm (9.3") |
| Depth |
355.0mm (14") |
353.0mm (13.9") |
| Weight |
25.95kg (57.1lbs) |
24.27kg (53.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
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 | SVS Prime Pinnacle digs deeper - 29Hz against 43Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Paradigm 800F is more sensitive (92dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Paradigm 800F: bi-amping. Paradigm 800F sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,000 vs $2,200 a pair). |
A SVS Prime Pinnacle 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 43Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Paradigm 800F is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.