Short answer: the Boston Acoustics A25. It ranks #22 of 56 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $299.98; the Paradigm Monitor SE Atom ranks #26 and costs $318, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Boston Acoustics A25 gets right: CEA2034 spinorama is decent once you ignore a peak around 900Hz and a dip around 3kHz - directivity is good enough that the response can be EQed and won’t be too room-dependent. The catch: A crazy port resonance and a tweeter with a steeper rolloff than the woofer both show up in the near-field driver measurements, creating the 900Hz peak and the crossover-region dip.
The case for the Paradigm Monitor SE Atom: Good, consistent directivity across the on-axis, listening-window, and off-axis curves makes the Atom easier to equalize and less room-dependent than many budget speakers. The tradeoff: On-axis response is uneven out of the box, with a 2-4kHz dip followed by a peak and a resonance around 15kHz that the reviewer said gives it a bright, “showroom” voicing without EQ correction.
Buy the Boston Acoustics A25. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Paradigm Monitor SE Atom and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Boston Acoustics A25 | Paradigm Monitor SE Atom | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.98 Discontinued | $318 |
| Ranked | #22 of 56 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #26 of 56 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 82Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 1" Kortec soft dome tweeter, 5.25" ceramic/glass-fiber polymer mid/woofer | 1" X-PAL aluminum dome tweeter (ferrofluid, PPA lens), 5.5" mineral-filled polypropylene mid/bass |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Dimensions | 10.7H x 7.25W x 8.9D in | 12.75H x 7.125W x 11D in |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs / 4.58 kg each | 11.9 lbs / 5.4 kg each |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 61Hz - 21kHz +/-3dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal | 8 ohms |
| Power Handling | 10-150W recommended | 15-100W recommended |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Sony SS-CS5 M2 vs JBL Stage 2 250B
- KEF Q150 vs Sony SS-CS5 M2
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Sony SS-CS5 M2
- Paradigm Monitor SE Atom vs JBL Stage A120
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2
The Two Speakers In Full
Boston Acoustics A25: $299.98 Discontinued
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama is decent once you ignore a peak around 900Hz and a dip around 3kHz - directivity is good enough that the response can be EQed and won’t be too room-dependent. Cabinet fit and finish is well above its price class, and dynamics were strong with no distortion audible even at high volume on well-recorded material. Discontinued, but the reviewer suggests hunting for clearance pricing on remaining stock.
Cons: A crazy port resonance and a tweeter with a steeper rolloff than the woofer both show up in the near-field driver measurements, creating the 900Hz peak and the crossover-region dip. The rear port itself measured audibly distorted up close, though it wasn’t noticeable from normal listening distance in the reviewer’s room. Discontinued.
Full Boston Acoustics A25 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 10.7H x 7.25W x 8.9D in |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1" Kortec soft dome tweeter, 5.25" ceramic/glass-fiber polymer mid/woofer |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal |
| Power Handling | 10-150W recommended |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs / 4.58 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs JBL Studio 530
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs Sony SS-CS5 M2
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs Wharfedale Diamond 220
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs KEF Q150
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs Dynaudio Emit M10
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs ELAC BS U5
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs JBL Stage 2 250B
- See all 15 comparisons
Paradigm Monitor SE Atom: $318 Amazon
Pros: Good, consistent directivity across the on-axis, listening-window, and off-axis curves makes the Atom easier to equalize and less room-dependent than many budget speakers. Bass tuning is well judged, letting the woofer play loud on demanding tracks without bottoming out even without a subwoofer. Paradigm’s NRC research pedigree shows in the horizontal and vertical dispersion measurements.
Cons: On-axis response is uneven out of the box, with a 2-4kHz dip followed by a peak and a resonance around 15kHz that the reviewer said gives it a bright, “showroom” voicing without EQ correction. There’s no meaningful bass extension for full-range use, so a subwoofer is effectively required for anything beyond desktop or near-field listening.
Full Paradigm Monitor SE Atom review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 82Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 12.75H x 7.125W x 11D in |
| Drivers | 1" X-PAL aluminum dome tweeter (ferrofluid, PPA lens), 5.5" mineral-filled polypropylene mid/bass |
| Frequency Response | 61Hz - 21kHz +/-3dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Power Handling | 15-100W recommended |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 11.9 lbs / 5.4 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Paradigm Monitor SE Atom vs Sony SS-CS5 M2
- Paradigm Monitor SE Atom vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2
- Paradigm Monitor SE Atom vs Dynaudio Emit M10
- Paradigm Monitor SE Atom vs JBL Studio 530
- Paradigm Monitor SE Atom vs ELAC BS U5
- Paradigm Monitor SE Atom vs JBL Stage 2 250B
- Paradigm Monitor SE Atom vs Dynaudio X14
- Paradigm Monitor SE Atom vs Wharfedale Diamond 220
- See all 17 comparisons