In this review, we will be comparing SS-CS3 and SE 3000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Sony and Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sony SS-CS3 and Paradigm SE 3000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Sony SS-CS3 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 0.75" Super Tweeter
- 2 x 5.12" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer
- 45-50k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:up to 145watts
- Weight:10.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 922.0" x 9.05" x 10.24"( 922.0 x 230.0 x 260.0mm )
Paradigm SE 3000F Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 5.5" Midrange
- 2 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer
- 5.5" Midrange
- 55-21k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-100watts
- Weight:15.91kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1007.0" x 8-15/16" x 10-15/16"( 1007.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm )
What size room are the Sony SS-CS3 and Paradigm SE 3000F 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* |
Sony SS-CS3 |
Paradigm SE 3000F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sony SS-CS3 and Paradigm SE 3000F compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both SS-CS3 and SE 3000F are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Sony SS-CS3 |
Paradigm SE 3000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Super Tweeter
|
0.75-inch |
- |
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.12-inch
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
SS-CS3 features a 1" polyester fiber Soft-Dome Tweeter , a 0.75" Supertweeter and 2 x 5.12" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer . On the other hand, the SE 3000F features a 1" Tweeter , a 5.5" Midrange and 2 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
SS-CS3 has a frequency range of 45-50k Hz whereas SE 3000F has a frequency range of 55-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the SS-CS3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SE 3000F's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
SS-CS3 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the SE 3000F which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. SS-CS3 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the SE 3000F's is rated at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Paradigm SE 3000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Sony SS-CS3, 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.
SS-CS3 can handle a max power of 145 watts RMS from the amp the whereas SE 3000F has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 45 watts less than the SS-CS3.
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
SS-CS3 features Post type posts and SE 3000F has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm SE 3000F's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both SS-CS3 and SE 3000F 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 Sony SS-CS3's and Paradigm SE 3000F's external dimensions. Sony SS-CS3 has external dimensions of 922.0 x 230.0 x 260.0mm ( 36.30 x 9.05 x 10.24inch) whereas Paradigm SE 3000F has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm ( 39-5/8 x 8-15/16 x 10-15/16inch) .
Sony SS-CS3 is 85mm shorter and 18mm less deeper than Paradigm SE 3000F but it is also 2mm wider.
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 Sony SS-CS3 is approximately 598.0cm2 / 92.7inch2 and base area of the Paradigm SE 3000F is approximately 633.8cm2 / 98.2inch2. The SS-CS3 requires 6% less surface area than the SE 3000F which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.