@@happydogg312 only problem is a r400 is not a 3 way speaker . Reason why most of us go with the L400 or the older LSIM version. Glad you still like the sound .Only difference is the lobbying is at a lower frequency with a 3 way design usually.
@@happydogg312 LSIM was the flagship speaker prior to Legends . Only used market now most likely for it… Polk marketing team pulled a fast one on us to offer R700 for a budget price but not including a centre 3 way to match .. (3 way speakers are usually larger and more expensive) i would just keep your r400 it only really matters for off center sitting positions and to untrained ear… just enjoy it its still amazing sound . I am picking up a svs pb-16 this weekend…. To give my system some bass.
You jus answered my question between the Paradigm F800 and the Polk r700 it couldn’t have happened at a better time I mean literally I have the 600c and 200b and was waiting to get f800 but heard so much rumble about polk reserve 700 had me confused until I just heard it here, if using a sub stick with the paradigm thank you guys
I would have a very hard time in spending this type of money on Polk. Decent enough but not that type of money. $1900 originally... currently on sale for $879 (on their website). The pretty well says it all doesn't it?
Hello, thank you for your work. These speakers make me think of Tannoy révolution xt8f. I wonder if it would be worth replacing them by these new Polk r700.
I can appreciate geometric approaches to stiffening cones, after all thats why we have domes and cones and concave shapes in speakers to begin with. Trusses braces and other stiffening structures typically rub me the wrong way, as they’re usually squarish Sony Xplode gimmicky feeling stuff. That feeling like it’s favoring crude compromises in favor of output over fidelity. I find myself drawn to lattices of symmetry, curvature, and smooth mathematical transformations of form following function in lines of emergence from universal laws. Something about having a rotational spiral design doesn’t jive with my preferences for what I desire from a speaker conceptually. I’m sure it adds performance, but it’s also boring into my mind with those spirals. It’s so cool that speakers can have radically different driver technologies, I feel these Polks and the Wharfedale Evo Series would be interesting designs to compare technologically.
I got these speakers about a month ago, and I just simply love them! They sound as good as I could possibly want, in my living room. I'm so glad I didn't spend more than twice on more expensive options I was considering. I didn't know I could get this level of sound quality at this price point, before I found these speaker. I do have a sub with these, but I actually didn't realize the first few days that the subwoofer settings on the receiver had it turned off in stereo mode..! Only when listening to electronic music that digs really deep, below 30, closer to 20Hz, did I realize that the sub was not on. 😅 They stay very composed as I crank the volume, and I often find myself with a smile of pure joy, listening to good music on these. You can both hear and feel the music with these speakers. I don't need better speakers than this!
I bought these and they are beautiful to look at. Looking at a Rotel amplifier or Emotiva to power them . I like the HIFI Rose 150 for streaming with this idea of a system . Can’t wait to finish it .
@@marklloyd4153 Have you decided on an amplifier yet or which did you choose? I felt either the Rotel 1582 or 1552 markii's would be a great match, but I auditioned the Arcam PA240 first and really liked it with my R700's so I never tried the Rotel's. My class D Elac Alchemy amp sounded good with the Polk's as well. I had an older Emotiva amp that has good power but not very refined sounding...but it was an older A-300 model, not an XPA model.
Bei mir laufen die R700, R400, R200 und R900. Ich betreibe alle am Denon AVC 4800H, die R700 habe ich im bi Amp a angeschlossen. Ic habe auch erst gedacht das mein Sub mit läuft und war begeistert das er aus war. Der Bass den die R700 abbilden braucht keinen Sub. Alles in allen bin ich sehr zufrieden.
I really appreciate how much effort James puts into measuring these speakers objectively and reproducibly. This is the only way to give unbiased purchasing advice - through independent scientific measurements of loudspeakers and amplifiers. I’m glad there is still a market for your work. We all benefit from it. On a side note, how would you slot these in relative to RP-8000F? Is this an upgrade path or should I step up another tier to gain audible benefits?
So I personally tested the RP-8000F with a Yamaha A-S 801 and was not very impressed. The bass was muddy and mid range was just absent in much of my music. I had to turn them up to hear dialogue but male voices and the tweeter sounded great in music. I suspect if I had a better quality amp like the A-S 1200 or the beefy and clean Rotel 1592MII the results would have been better. I think the RP-8000F dip down to 5.3 ohms was making bass a muddy mess thanks to the A-S 801s inability to deal with sub 8 ohm loads well. However the Polk L600 and R700 both drop down even lower to 3.3 and 3.4 ohms respectively. That is a far harder load to drive, which can cause the speakers to distort or even shut down lesser non 4 ohm stable amps. I wouldn't consider these speakers unless you have a good quality amp rated to 4 ohms. I didn't test the Yamaha A-S 801 on the Polk but I did listen to the very powerful Rotel integrated and when paired with the L600 speakers it was night and day sound quality. I do think guitar sounded slightly better on the RP-8000f as well as cymbals but the rest of the drum set sounded better on the Polks. Some deep male voices on the Klipsch sounded a bit better but female was vastly improved on the Polk. Suddenly I could hear dialogue in TV and movies at low volume even with no center channel. All the midrange that was missing on the RP-8000 suddenly showed back up, thanks surely to it's fully isolated mid range turbine coned transducer. I wasn't able to listen to the R700 but they have the same transducers and are rated at all the same specs so I strongly suspect they sound just as good as the L600 towers. Maybe there is slightly better clarity with the legend series but I have no evidence to support that they have better crossover parts which might not even improve sound anyway. If you have a quality 4 ohm stable amp I can't recommend the L600's enough. Because the R700s use all the same parts and also have an inert cabinet with a lesser finish being the only thing that separates them, I'm sure they also blow away RP-8000 towers when paired with the same high quality amp. Cheers
20 Years ago I had the Polk PSW 1200. It had a huge power port with Dual 12” drivers. That was a good sub in the day. My SVS PC-4000 subs kill it today but Polk has always done some great stuff for their price point. Love the new Polk products I picked up some Legend L600s this year. They are a joy to sit and listen too.
When I first saw these Polk R700's, they looked fabulous, positively amazing & far more expensive -looking than they are when they made them available in a pure white colour. Andrew Robbinson who reviewed these same Polks on his site stated that they were no longer available in white like the pair he had in for review & that choice by Polk confused him & myself as they looked relatively amazing in white when compared side by side to the relatively dull walnut wood-effect & positively cheap-looking, very dull & aesthetically boring in black wood grain effect, one that was unfathomabley popular in the 1980's. yuk! I'd have to have these sanded down & painted as close to that same white colour as I could get ...to see them in that white colour (compared to the 2 options now) ...is to want them in that same white colour that Polk mysteriously stopped making them available in. Surely they can't be more expensive to make in that white colour ...could they? (i'm no paint or veneer expert)
No joking at all. If you buy a high quality satin enamel paint, with an equally high quality paint brush, they can be painted. One gallon will easily paint two tower speakers with plenty left over. I was shocked when a friend painted his black speakers with some Sherwin Williams Satin enamel with ivory white. They looked incredible, and you couldn't even see the brush strokes. I don't work for Sherwin Williams by the way. I just remember what he used, because I was so impressed. I bought the same paint for the kitchen cabinets for the wife.
why call them budget speakers? I prefer to call these Polk R700, Wharfedale Lintons, Dali Oberon 7 as Price Competitive. If you spend much much more, how much better will you hear or enjoy?
Indeed, Andrew Robinson compared them to $8000 Wharfedales and said if the Wharfedales were a 10, the much cheaper Polk would be a 9 in terms of sound quality, but then the Wharfedale Elysians are definitely much, much prettier to look at, so there is that to consider for some people.
I actually found I needed to spend $25K to improve on the L600 (R700 with a better finish). Everything under that price range wasn't better sounding overall. The $25K pair of Focal were nice but only %5-10 better? Is that worth $22K? Any sane person should say hell no :) Just spend the extra money on a better amp/premap and room treatments instead! You will get that 5-10% back with some investments if not more. The used market is great when it comes to amps imo. You can enjoy seriously good gear at steep discounts and make these gems sound even better.
NICE REVIEW👍 A use have these and used different amps... like yamaha s1200 and Vincent sv-237mk and the bass was Good... But when a tryed to Biamp whith Crown xls 2502 to the woofers and used the technics su g700 for the tweeters... The resault was pure magic... clear mids and airy highs combine white deep fast punchy BASS.. sold my subwoofer dont need them... My hole system cost a grand total of 5500 k as a use the Yamaha wxc 50 (unerated)wireless streamer 4 all my music.. Brings a smile to my face avery time a lisen too it....Marry Christmas and a Happy New Year 🎉
Polk had a set of car audio 2-way components about 15 years ago w/ a ring radiator tweet. Pretty sure they were the SR6500 or something like that. Really nice sounding stuff. I got a pair like 5 years after the fact that had mileage on 'em and they still sounded great to me.
Picked up the Polk Reserve R400 for a tangible 1st and was impressed with the Center. Running a Marantz SR7013 received with an Emotiva XPA-5 Gen3 Amp been pushing Sandy Gross Definitive Super Towers for 20 plus years they still kick ass but wanted a change the R700's Towers on order but are backorder picked up on sale for $899.00 each.
Are these much better then the Heco Aurora 700/1000 ? You tested them too and you could compare it on a diffrent level then I could while I have to visit 2-3 diffrent stores.. to get a comparsion done..
Great review guys... thanks! James... since you auditioned both the Paradigm 800f and PolkR700 Which of the two would pair up better with a Rotel RA1572MKII integrated... for 2 channel music? Thanks
I have the L600's and the R700 gave me second thoughts. Eventually I just fell in love with the real wood veneer... and the fact that you add the L900's without them being seen. I'm just not sure if I want to fall for the bouncing sound off your ceiling marketing trick for Dolby Atmos?? I have the yamaha RX-A4A. Any thoughts Gene?? @Audioholics
I have the L600s and well and I have no second thoughts whatsoever 😆 I think it's really cool that you can get the same sound with these more affordable R700 but I too am in love with the looks (and sound) of this speaker. So worth the extra money imo. I'm not using the L900s nor do I plan to because I tend to agree with it being kind overkill/pointless, but it's a nice option for those wanting to push out 11-13 channels for their maximum HT experience.
Polk audio has always hit way above their weight class in my opinion. I had their signature series and I'm looking at this now. I really wish there was a place I could go listen to them but unfortunately there are no dealers here in Washington that actually carry them. I guess I will just have to go on my past experience and this review
The mission from the beginning, was to get as close as possible to a high end transparent and balanced sound within an average consumer budget. They succeeded, and have gotten even better since.
I have Heco Aurora 1000’s strictly for movies. Would the R700’s be a noticeable upgrade or not enough to justify the price? Bass is not an issue I have dual Rythmik FV15’s.
I also went all in with Polk based on this and several other online reviews. R700s, R200s for surrounds, R400 center and a pair of R900s as height/Atmos. So now about 6 months out the only thing I feel missing is lack of volume from the R700s in Stereo mode. Oh, should mention also using new .Marantz SR8015 to power the entire home theater show. Marantz claims 140 WPC RMS when only powering the stereo pair, maybe I'm losing my hearing in old age but I don't think that claim is accurate. I'm looking at supplemental amps for at least the 2 channel without breaking the bank like under $2000 any suggestions would be appreciated particularly from anyone with Polk R700 experiences.
I think the Rotel RB-1552 Markii $1500 or RB-1582 Markii $2000 would be a good pairing. Either would be good power at 4ohms of the Polk's. I've tried the Hypex class D type amps with the R700 and thought it sounded great. Currently I'm using the Arcam PA240 with great results but it's a little over the $2k budget you want to be under. The Hypex type amps are moderately priced, best bang for the buck in my opinion..I still have mine but my Arcam has more power.
Would this R700 sound better or simply different to the Prime Pinnacles also, whats the difference (other than volume) if two amps have same specs but wattage im considering upgrading my Denon X6500h to either AVC 110 or X8500HA, but i dont know if it will be worth the money, considering my room is small to medium 9.1 x 11.1
Does anyone have thoughts on the Revel Concerta2 f36? Just went on sale and now within in my budget 30% off so now $1540 pr. I was considering the klh Kendall and Polk R600.
I’ve owned the RTA 11TL’s since ‘88. These look almost exact with exception of the woofer sizing. RTT11TL’s have 6.5” woofers and the same driver array. I like mine, fine….
@Audioholics Something you guys touched on was center channel options since the Reserve line doesn't offer a WTMW. I have had interest in the L400 previous to this video but with the endorsement from James it certainly reassures me. However, how would you say the L400 compares to the Paradigm 600C that retails for $700 less?
I've had both, the Paradigm is better for it's purpose. Dialog is ultra clear through the paradigm. The only real issue with it is, it reveals bad sources. I found some streaming, compressed, material sounds off. Feed it good quality and you'll be very happy. The polk is good, flat, but almost lifeless. Dynamic rang is also very low on the polk. The difference between quiet and loud in a scene is not entertaining, and certainly no where near the paradigm. The paradigm can also work with any amp quite easily, not the case with the polk. I'd say that no one does a center channel as good as paradigm, the founder is smoother and actually a bit less revealing than the Premier if you really want perfection IMO.
I had the S60’s for a month or two then bought these. The S60’s are pretty good. These R700’s are great… They have mind blowing bass. The clarity is beautiful. They leave me wanting for nothing
The bass is only ok, it's loud but rather soft and undefined. I like them a lot though, just compared to the jbl 590 it sounds very dull in the bass, way less punch. I like the midrange better than the 590 though. My biggest issue with the r700 is that the center, r400, doesn't keep up and sounds very hot in the treble when you turn it up. Low dynamic range on the whole series is an unspoken issue.
@@jdavis234 could be but I doubt it. I have an anthem mrx740 and an mrc 325. I’ve also tried them with some outlaw 2220 mono blocks but it got worse on that setup. I finally settled with arendal 1723 towers and am quite happy, plenty of slam and very dynamic without being harsh.
The Paradigms are more of a party type speaker that plays loud with lots of bass and treble. The Polk R700s are more refined than the 8000F. A more apples to apples comparison would be the Polk R700 and Paradigm 800f.
Would you say that the paradigm are capable of more bass output in terms of depth and impact then the r700 ? Since you compare the r700 to the 800f and the 800f are not able to dig as deep to the 8000f?!
I'd love to see a pair of Krells with an electronic crossover drive this pair, like the KSA-50 for the mid-highs, and a KSA-250 for the bass drivers. Imagination is a dangerous thing
Ok people. Get smart .Polk speakers are freaking awesome!!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I’m just saying. I have the 700s 400s and the 200s and the 900 in reserve mostly. Omg!!!! You don’t need sub !! Trust me these are the freaking best speakers for cheap prices!!!!!!!!!!!! Hello wake up people . Oh and I have all hooked up to my baby marantz cinema 50 and I have no amp. But I’m getting the emotiva
Great review. I am seriously considering these but can't justify the upgrade to the L400 for the center and the lack of a recommended matching in-wall for surrounds. I'm leaning towards Paradigm Premier 800f / 600c setup for those reason. Still love the R700 though. Decisions, decisions!
Definitely reasonable. The Polk L400 is expensive, but I think it would be a better center than the Premier centers, so it's not as if the extra cost didn't gain a return. But it's still an expensive center speaker. By the way, I am not so sure the cost of the 600c is justified over the 500c unless you want to run the center full range. Most bang for the buck is probably the 500c.
Also, I feel there is more to Revel and Infinity drivers than just being “an anodized aluminum driver”, maybe when you have an MMD which is a 5%90%5% sandwich. But CMMD is 20%60%20% that’s 40% ceramic! Can we really call something that is 60/40 aluminum? As far as I know Revel hasn’t publicized their ratio, who knows whether they bumped it up or down. But dampening and stiffening through sandwiches of constrained-layers is sound science, and probably shouldn’t be brushed off as merely just another aluminum driver. (I only know about this because I own some CMMD speakers, and am biased by my own limited consumer-education about my immediate products, I wish they were deep anodized titanium instead of aluminum) there’s a Harmon White paper on CMMD tech which is interesting read too, it’s one page. Also this. th-cam.com/video/n5WAu9RetJI/w-d-xo.html
Hello from Bombay (Mumbai) India! Thank you for a very informative review. However, I have a few questions/concerns: 1. Would the spikes penetrate a really thick deep-pile carpet? 2. When placed on such a carpet, would it block the downward firing port, thereby affecting the bass response? 3. I am seated about 10 feet from the L/R towers in my home-theater. My seated ear-height is about 39" above the floor. At their height of 45", would these speakers be too tall for me? 4. My room is small, only about 11.5 feet x 15.5 feet, but it is an acoustically-treated space. Could these speakers overload the room? Your advice would be much appreciated!
Gene, would you guys recommend these on sale right now for $1799 pr or the Revel Concerta2 f36 on sale for $1540 pr? I believe the Concert2 won an award from you in the past. Any thoughts, this will be my first "hifi" purchase as I'm closing in on retirement. 2 channel listening and TV. Thanks Dave
I just had these home for audition for 2 weeks but to my surprise I didn't like them. Vocals sound a little thin and they are far back in the mix. Best way to describe it was lifeless and a little boring. I didn't get emotinally engaged in the music. I listen to acoustic music 95% of the time so keep that in mind. My foot wasn't tapping. I found myself listening to the speaker instead of enjoying the music if that makes sense. But on a few songs they were incredible - female vocals stood out. Great bass and impact and lots of details. Good dynamics. They played best at louder volumes, for me that is ~85 db. My amp is class a/b with 120 watts. I would recommend a thourogh listen before buying. They might be perfect for you.
The l400 ce ter is way too expensive... I jave a Onkyo rz50.. with what other center speaker can we match the polk r700?! In cabada its 2500$ almost its crazy
I had the SVS towers here at the house ended up returning them because the timber and tonality of the mid range was truly underwhelming, for both music and movies.
Hi! New to your channel. Very impressed with the level of detail you offer. My question for you, is whether my Marantz PM8005 would be able to drive these speakers to its full potential. The PM8005 go down to 4 ohm at 100watts - 70 watts at 8 ohm. I would really appreciate some advice. Thank you!
OK, here is the 64 dollar question: You have given excellent reviews to the Polk R700 and Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8000F II . Seeing as there is no place to personally audition either or both of these speakers even in a market like Columbus, Ohio, which should I choose? As Best Buy is not currently carrying either model, I will have to buy them online from the manufacturer or a dealer like Crutchfield. How I lament the departure of so many local audio and home theater stores over the 49 years I have lived here. Very sad. And here's the 128 dollar question: Will I hear an improvement over my current Definitive Technology BP-2004TL L/R speakers I purchased in 2000?
Great review guys, I am old school and really like to see the measurements behind a product. There's to much fluffy reviews out there, who haven't got a clue when it comes to the science behind a product.
Hi Gene, I’m auditioning the Martin Logan’s F100’s and so far I’m not too impressed, especially with the upper midrange. I feel the Polks might to a better job and for almost 3k less. The bass, imaging, soundstage are really good. But I just felt the F100 needed more weight and smoothness in upper midrange vocals. So for 5k, I’m not feeling it. With that said, do you feel these Polks have a smoother upper midrange and more in line with what I like? Should I go up and try the Legends 700? Please reply with your feedback and thank you for doing a great job as always.
John Maybe you heard the F100s in a bad set up or room acoustics? They should be a significant step up from the Polk R700s which are also excellent speakers too.
@@Audioholics They’re loosening up a bit and they are PERFECT IN EVERY WAY except a little brightness in upper midrange vocals; I don’t know if that will change with more hours on them. Andrew Robinson had the same opinion and it very well could be the synergy with my Ayon tube amp. My room is good as with other speaker I’ve had I did not have that problem and I do have a treated dedicated treated listening room of 13 x 14.
@@Bayportjohn I just had the XT B100's in house for a couple weeks. I had the same impressions about the B100's that you had with the towers. The Polk bookshelf R200 is more balanced and full sounding in comparison. The tweeter in the B100 is pretty sweet though, it's like refinement and extension compared to the Polk Ring tweeter. At least with the bookshelf speaker..in my opinion.
@@NosEL34 Hey Jake, yeah they did open up slightly and it’s a shame because they do everything else really well. The bass is deep and articulate and they image really good. Oh well…😎
@@Bayportjohn yeah it seems there is always compromises we have to make when choosing loudspeakers. I hope the F100's keep getting better you, as I agree that the new Motion line has some special characteristics about them. I did go ahead and order the Polk Reserve R700 today though. From spending alot of time with their bookshelf I sort of know what to expect. The Legend series may have that slightly higher refinement sound to them vs the Reserve if one is able to notice..but the Legend series is more aesthetically pleasing I feel. I know the R700 will give me at least a very balanced sound that is good with multiple music genres as well as poor and exceptional recordings. $2k price range is nice too. Good luck 👍
I've been testing the L600 which is basically just a R700 with a combo wood veneer/gloss black finish instead of cheap yet not terrible looking vinyl wrap and cheaper looking base and it blows the RP-8000f away in 90% of audio reproduction. R700 is a true 3 way and the Klipsch only a 2.5 way. The Klipsch was more muddy/recessed when it came to dialogue, vocals and anything in the midrange. I had to turn it up to stupid levels to understand softer dialogue unlike with the Polks. I loved the horn tweeter on the Klipsch. Jazz/horn/wind instruments were ethereal sounding and goose bump inducing. However when listening to classical music some instruments in the midrange just went missing. With the Polks the midrange returned and dialogue/vocals cleared up. Both the very solid pinnacle ring tweeter and the fully enclosed mid range turbine cone mid-wolfer gets very close to the Klipsch on those same horns/wind instruments. It's never fatiguing unlike the Klipsch but you do lose some of the sparkle that the RP-8000F had. The other difference is the Klipsch didn't suffer from the slight changes that a polypropylene cone gives to some sounds. Some things sound better like big timpani drums but a snare or cymbal's decay isn't a good as with the RP-8000F or fiber/paper cone using wolfers. Guitar has less sparkle and a slightly different tone with the Polks which I enjoy less than I did with the Klipsch. All things considered if you mostly listen to classic rock this might not be the best speaker for you. Stevie Ray Vaughn's Texas Flood didn't have the same sizzle as with more forward sounding speakers like my vintage 3 way or the Klipsch but Pink Floyd sounds basically as good so it's up and down. Jazz also loses just a tiny (very tiny) bit of it's magic that horn loaded speakers give it but the tradeoff is 0 fatigue from mids/highs. The RP-8000FII got significant upgrades: much larger voice coils and better waveguide and passive cooling for the tweeter so I suspect it becomes way more of a fair fight but I bet the Polk r700 (or it's much prettier sister the L600) still likely will have the slight edge when it comes to overall performance across more genres of music and with tv/movies thanks to the excellent clarity the midrange offers as well as the superior cabinet construction. I did notice some nasty resonances at times with the RP-8000fs but never with the L600's. Cabinet rigidity is far superior with the Polks. The RP-8000F do have a really nice look and finish for their price but that has a cost and it was apparent to me in a head to head when comparing their sound. Hope you find what you enjoy the most :)
I know this is an old review but maybe someone could help. Anyone driven these speakers with a Hegel H95? I have a smaller room and interested in these but from what I'm reading the Hegel H95 may be underpowered. Although on the Polk website they say from 50-350 watts. Thanks
The L600 are like 86! Yet somehow they sound freaking amazing when driven with powerful quality gear. I suspect these are no different as they use the same parts and also have an inert cabinet to handle all that power well. The super sensitive Klipsch Heritage Cornwall IV and Forte IV speakers sounded worse than the L600 tower in just about every way imo. I didn't expect that at all but it's what my ears told me over months of testing. I have to wonder if this spec is important when it comes to sound quality. It seems to be more of a spec about max volume possible but power is cheap these days. Who cares how loud your speaker will get if it sounds like crap. I was driving the L600 speakers to deafening yet clear levels regardless of that 86 rating because of the very affordable and clean power on the used and even new markets these days. We really do live in the golden age of Hi and Mid fi. Polk is imo now one of the leaders of affordable high end-mid fi with these rather amazing speakers. These might not sound as good as $25,000 speakers but they are really really close and will leave even rather picky people like myself extremely happy feeling like we are only giving up a few percentage points of sound quality for the cost of a car :)
You know Gene, most of you audio video TH-cam guys annoy me on a regular basis. That being said, I have enjoyed your personality as well as your extended knowledge of electrical engineering combined with all your experience, to no end. You’re definitely one of a kind and I would be remiss not to mention how classy you’ve been with involving your wife on the camera, and acknowledging her considerable contributions to the show and website, without shoving her on us all the time like that insufferable Andrew does with his wife Christie. Yeah, I named names, lol. Those two peggers are like caricatures of real people (insert classic LA expat stereotypes). Not classy on my part but I thought you might want specifics over generalizations when being told you’re doing better than another channel. That whole thing he does where she talks off camera while he pulls faces in her direction and totally infantilizes her as if she’s using her brain for the first time) is only exceed in contrivance by the bass fader he cranks up on his own voice (which makes every little tap of his mic sound like somebody is breaking into my speakers, lol). OK, Gene! It’s been real and it’s been fun, hopefully you had real fun reading this. Keep up the great work in 2022 and thanks to your guests and your other team members for a very nice 2021!
You absolutely took the words and descriptions right out of my mouth about Robinson. Insufferable and unbearable and those caricature faces and hand movements. Pathetic. Fortunately I never stuck around long enough to see his wife.
Hi guys, thanks for your expertise! I'm looking for a pair of big Tower speakers and an AMP. I Will use Them in a stereo mode but as well with Marantz 5014 ( 7.1.1) as a home theater. I've a budget ok 15k CND before taxes. My Room in the basement is 800 sqft where the home theater takes 2/3 of the Room. The sofa is about 15 feets from the wall of projection. My first question : 1.) What repartition of the budget should be put on speakers vs amplifier? 50/50? I Also watched your review of the Paradigm Founder 100F, that was great thanks! For now it's one of my Choice with the Yamaha As-1220. I've Also like the: - Aria Focal 948 paires with the Luxman 507ux -Dali Opticon 8 with the Hegel 330. I will go lister to the Polk R700 because all reviews says it amazing. But since it's cheaper should Invest more budget into the Amplifier? Also I may have the opportunity to buy a 10 years olds Bowers&Wilkins 800 series diamond for 5k. It's in great condition & sounds amazing. Would you consider that options? Or would stick with only New gear. Thanks un avance for your guidance. Cheers! MG
@@Audioholics damn I wasn't expecting a reply, thank you so much. I'm building my first home theater as a student, so def looking for best bang for my budget and slowly go from there.
I'm still leaning towards the paradigm 800f , I already have the 600c center which I find is fantastic so thinking I'll get the rest of the series to match them up!
Is there a reason you never bench tested the RX-A3080 avr? I've been looking forward to that full review for the longest time. I do appreciate the current bench tests os the rx-a6a and a8a. What are the major differences of these avrs?
How can you get good measurements on a wobbly ladder? For every action there is an equal reaction, thus if the speaker is rocking backwards as the driver is exerting force forwards, energy is lost and distortion is added relative to the movement (opposing or with the drivers movement) of the cabinet. I wasn't expecting much of a difference when I spiked my (wobbly on carpet) RTI A9s to the concrete floor, but there was a huge improvement in the tightness of bass and output. Yeah, the RTi series suck for music, but the concept is the same for bass drivers to be firing against rock solid cabinets. I even noticed a bigger improvement with my LS50s when I replaced wobbly stands with rock solid sand filled stands. My wobbly stands were very heavy and sand filled (which isolates resonance into the wooden floor system), but did nothing to stop the cabinets from moving against the force of the drivers and causing distortion. Wobbly speakers are akin to throwing a heaving object standing on a skateboard or ice. You just aren't going to get the same force forwards if you are moving backwards. It's a law of physics.
Same. Went with the L600 towers instead when they went on sale after waiting for 2+ months! I couldn't do the wood style vinyl wrap personally, only the black would do since no white. With all that said I couldn't be more happy with the black ash version as it looks great, specially with the covers on. Easily worth $1500 each. The sound is fantastic. I couldn't be more happy with them when paired with beefy 350+ watt amps. These things slam with an absolute clarity and precision that the RP-8000F that I tested couldn't hope to touch, specially in the mid range. Klipsch RP are decent and come with great finishes but there is a reason even the poorly finished (but great sounding) R700 costs more. I tried out Corwall4 and Forte4 and both were not as good as these speakers imo. They sounded muddled and lacked the good soundstage and clarity that the L600 achieved. I honestly was shocked at how bad they sounded in comparison to the L600 towers but alas my wallet is very thankful! I strongly suspect I would also be happy with the R700s sound wise, but just not looks wise. Glad I made the switch personally because I see them too much in the daytime!
I bought both Polk R700 and L400 center speakers based on your review and I am very very happy with my purchase . Thank you James.
What are you using for surrounds?
@@Tunnelsnakes The R200 are pretty excellent. Infact every speaker in the Reserve line is with the exception of the center one.
I got a 706c lsim for center and R700 for L,R. Love it
@@happydogg312 only problem is a r400 is not a 3 way speaker . Reason why most of us go with the L400 or the older LSIM version. Glad you still like the sound .Only difference is the lobbying is at a lower frequency with a 3 way design usually.
@@happydogg312 LSIM was the flagship speaker prior to Legends . Only used market now most likely for it… Polk marketing team pulled a fast one on us to offer R700 for a budget price but not including a centre 3 way to match .. (3 way speakers are usually larger and more expensive) i would just keep your r400 it only really matters for off center sitting positions and to untrained ear… just enjoy it its still amazing sound . I am picking up a svs pb-16 this weekend…. To give my system some bass.
They used that port on their signature series subwoofers and and it worked incredibly well
Grateful to have found this channel. My wallet is not but hey.
which is better for a 10x8 room, polk r700 or silver 300 audio monitor?
So if you had to pick the R700 vs Klipsch RP-8000F vs Martinlogan 40i what would you pick for flattest, most neutral yet most accurate speaker?
Also looking to find a comparison
You jus answered my question between the Paradigm F800 and the Polk r700 it couldn’t have happened at a better time I mean literally I have the 600c and 200b and was waiting to get f800 but heard so much rumble about polk reserve 700 had me confused until I just heard it here, if using a sub stick with the paradigm thank you guys
I would have a very hard time in spending this type of money on Polk. Decent enough but not that type of money. $1900 originally... currently on sale for $879 (on their website). The pretty well says it all doesn't it?
The new ELAC unifi towers are great as well. I’d give the edge to Polk!
Hello, thank you for your work. These speakers make me think of Tannoy révolution xt8f. I wonder if it would be worth replacing them by these new Polk r700.
I can appreciate geometric approaches to stiffening cones, after all thats why we have domes and cones and concave shapes in speakers to begin with.
Trusses braces and other stiffening structures typically rub me the wrong way, as they’re usually squarish Sony Xplode gimmicky feeling stuff. That feeling like it’s favoring crude compromises in favor of output over fidelity. I find myself drawn to lattices of symmetry, curvature, and smooth mathematical transformations of form following function in lines of emergence from universal laws. Something about having a rotational spiral design doesn’t jive with my preferences for what I desire from a speaker conceptually. I’m sure it adds performance, but it’s also boring into my mind with those spirals.
It’s so cool that speakers can have radically different driver technologies, I feel these Polks and the Wharfedale Evo Series would be interesting designs to compare technologically.
What about the Purifi woofer surrounds lol
Amy thoughts on how far apart these speakers need to be? I have a smallish room.
Nice measurements
Could you use the Polk LSIM 706C center channel speaker with R700 ?
some impressive speakers for
Like the Star Wars t-shirt
Rotel RA-1592 would it be good for these speakers?
Yes!
I’m currently running LsIm 705’s. Would the R700’s or the 800f’s be an upgrade? Or the Arendal 1723’s? Both movies and music.
I got these speakers about a month ago, and I just simply love them! They sound as good as I could possibly want, in my living room. I'm so glad I didn't spend more than twice on more expensive options I was considering. I didn't know I could get this level of sound quality at this price point, before I found these speaker. I do have a sub with these, but I actually didn't realize the first few days that the subwoofer settings on the receiver had it turned off in stereo mode..! Only when listening to electronic music that digs really deep, below 30, closer to 20Hz, did I realize that the sub was not on. 😅
They stay very composed as I crank the volume, and I often find myself with a smile of pure joy, listening to good music on these. You can both hear and feel the music with these speakers. I don't need better speakers than this!
I bought these and they are beautiful to look at. Looking at a Rotel amplifier or Emotiva to power them . I like the HIFI Rose 150 for streaming with this idea of a system . Can’t wait to finish it .
@@marklloyd4153 Don't buy Emotiva my friend you are asking for trouble imo, I would buy a Rotel every day of the week
@@marklloyd4153 Have you decided on an amplifier yet or which did you choose? I felt either the Rotel 1582 or 1552 markii's would be a great match, but I auditioned the Arcam PA240 first and really liked it with my R700's so I never tried the Rotel's. My class D Elac Alchemy amp sounded good with the Polk's as well. I had an older Emotiva amp that has good power but not very refined sounding...but it was an older A-300 model, not an XPA model.
How are they holding up?
Bei mir laufen die R700, R400, R200 und R900. Ich betreibe alle am Denon AVC 4800H, die R700 habe ich im bi Amp a angeschlossen.
Ic habe auch erst gedacht das mein Sub mit läuft und war begeistert das er aus war. Der Bass den die R700 abbilden braucht keinen Sub.
Alles in allen bin ich sehr zufrieden.
I recently picked up a pair and they’ve exceeded my expectations. My favorite all around speakers to date in all
My many years of Audiophile-hood :)
have you heard the 8000fii? how do they compare to the R700?
I just wouldn't call them budget towers.
How they holding up
@@Rocket9944 Same ?? How are they holding up thanks in advance.
I would love to buy a L400 to pair with my R700s but I can’t afford that so I will have to stick with R400.
I really appreciate how much effort James puts into measuring these speakers objectively and reproducibly. This is the only way to give unbiased purchasing advice - through independent scientific measurements of loudspeakers and amplifiers. I’m glad there is still a market for your work. We all benefit from it.
On a side note, how would you slot these in relative to RP-8000F? Is this an upgrade path or should I step up another tier to gain audible benefits?
So I personally tested the RP-8000F with a Yamaha A-S 801 and was not very impressed. The bass was muddy and mid range was just absent in much of my music. I had to turn them up to hear dialogue but male voices and the tweeter sounded great in music. I suspect if I had a better quality amp like the A-S 1200 or the beefy and clean Rotel 1592MII the results would have been better. I think the RP-8000F dip down to 5.3 ohms was making bass a muddy mess thanks to the A-S 801s inability to deal with sub 8 ohm loads well. However the Polk L600 and R700 both drop down even lower to 3.3 and 3.4 ohms respectively. That is a far harder load to drive, which can cause the speakers to distort or even shut down lesser non 4 ohm stable amps. I wouldn't consider these speakers unless you have a good quality amp rated to 4 ohms.
I didn't test the Yamaha A-S 801 on the Polk but I did listen to the very powerful Rotel integrated and when paired with the L600 speakers it was night and day sound quality. I do think guitar sounded slightly better on the RP-8000f as well as cymbals but the rest of the drum set sounded better on the Polks. Some deep male voices on the Klipsch sounded a bit better but female was vastly improved on the Polk. Suddenly I could hear dialogue in TV and movies at low volume even with no center channel. All the midrange that was missing on the RP-8000 suddenly showed back up, thanks surely to it's fully isolated mid range turbine coned transducer.
I wasn't able to listen to the R700 but they have the same transducers and are rated at all the same specs so I strongly suspect they sound just as good as the L600 towers. Maybe there is slightly better clarity with the legend series but I have no evidence to support that they have better crossover parts which might not even improve sound anyway.
If you have a quality 4 ohm stable amp I can't recommend the L600's enough. Because the R700s use all the same parts and also have an inert cabinet with a lesser finish being the only thing that separates them, I'm sure they also blow away RP-8000 towers when paired with the same high quality amp. Cheers
20 Years ago I had the Polk PSW 1200. It had a huge power port with Dual 12” drivers. That was a good sub in the day.
My SVS PC-4000 subs kill it today but Polk has always done some great stuff for their price point.
Love the new Polk products I picked up some Legend L600s this year. They are a joy to sit and listen too.
When I first saw these Polk R700's, they looked fabulous, positively amazing & far more expensive -looking than they are when they made them available in a pure white colour.
Andrew Robbinson who reviewed these same Polks on his site stated that they were no longer available in white like the pair he had in for review & that choice by Polk confused him & myself as they looked relatively amazing in white when compared side by side to the relatively dull walnut wood-effect & positively cheap-looking, very dull & aesthetically boring in black wood grain effect, one that was unfathomabley popular in the 1980's. yuk! I'd have to have these sanded down & painted as close to that same white colour as I could get ...to see them in that white colour (compared to the 2 options now) ...is to want them in that same white colour that Polk mysteriously stopped making them available in. Surely they can't be more expensive to make in that white colour ...could they? (i'm no paint or veneer expert)
No joking at all. If you buy a high quality satin enamel paint, with an equally high quality paint brush, they can be painted.
One gallon will easily paint two tower speakers with plenty left over.
I was shocked when a friend painted his black speakers with some Sherwin Williams Satin enamel with ivory white.
They looked incredible, and you couldn't even see the brush strokes.
I don't work for Sherwin Williams by the way. I just remember what he used, because I was so impressed. I bought the same paint for the kitchen cabinets for the wife.
why call them budget speakers? I prefer to call these Polk R700, Wharfedale Lintons, Dali Oberon 7 as Price Competitive. If you spend much much more, how much better will you hear or enjoy?
Indeed, Andrew Robinson compared them to $8000 Wharfedales and said if the Wharfedales were a 10, the much cheaper Polk would be a 9 in terms of sound quality, but then the Wharfedale Elysians are definitely much, much prettier to look at, so there is that to consider for some people.
I actually found I needed to spend $25K to improve on the L600 (R700 with a better finish). Everything under that price range wasn't better sounding overall. The $25K pair of Focal were nice but only %5-10 better? Is that worth $22K? Any sane person should say hell no :)
Just spend the extra money on a better amp/premap and room treatments instead! You will get that 5-10% back with some investments if not more. The used market is great when it comes to amps imo. You can enjoy seriously good gear at steep discounts and make these gems sound even better.
NICE REVIEW👍 A use have these and used different amps... like yamaha s1200 and Vincent sv-237mk and the bass was Good... But when a tryed to Biamp whith Crown xls 2502 to the woofers and used the technics su g700 for the tweeters... The resault was pure magic... clear mids and airy highs combine white deep fast punchy BASS.. sold my subwoofer dont need them... My hole system cost a grand total of 5500 k as a use the Yamaha wxc 50 (unerated)wireless streamer 4 all my music.. Brings a smile to my face avery time a lisen too it....Marry Christmas and a Happy New Year 🎉
Interesting... how did you split the signal to both amps?
Polk had a set of car audio 2-way components about 15 years ago w/ a ring radiator tweet. Pretty sure they were the SR6500 or something like that. Really nice sounding stuff. I got a pair like 5 years after the fact that had mileage on 'em and they still sounded great to me.
Those L800’s are kind blowing when set up properly! I use them for music and surround. Those are amazing if you can handle them
Picked up the Polk Reserve R400 for a tangible 1st and was impressed with the Center. Running a Marantz SR7013 received with an Emotiva XPA-5 Gen3 Amp been pushing Sandy Gross Definitive Super Towers for 20 plus years they still kick ass but wanted a change the R700's Towers on order but are backorder picked up on sale for $899.00 each.
You can also pair them with the LSIM 706c speaker for $400.
Are these much better then the Heco Aurora 700/1000 ? You tested them too and you could compare it on a diffrent level then I could while I have to visit 2-3 diffrent stores.. to get a comparsion done..
Great review guys... thanks!
James... since you auditioned both the Paradigm 800f and PolkR700 Which of the two would pair up better with a Rotel RA1572MKII integrated... for 2 channel music?
Thanks
I still have these . I bought 2 REL99 Classics to pair with them . This is a fantastic pairing . Surrounded by sound .
I have the L600's and the R700 gave me second thoughts. Eventually I just fell in love with the real wood veneer... and the fact that you add the L900's without them being seen. I'm just not sure if I want to fall for the bouncing sound off your ceiling marketing trick for Dolby Atmos?? I have the yamaha RX-A4A. Any thoughts Gene?? @Audioholics
I have the L600s and well and I have no second thoughts whatsoever 😆 I think it's really cool that you can get the same sound with these more affordable R700 but I too am in love with the looks (and sound) of this speaker. So worth the extra money imo.
I'm not using the L900s nor do I plan to because I tend to agree with it being kind overkill/pointless, but it's a nice option for those wanting to push out 11-13 channels for their maximum HT experience.
Polk audio has always hit way above their weight class in my opinion. I had their signature series and I'm looking at this now. I really wish there was a place I could go listen to them but unfortunately there are no dealers here in Washington that actually carry them. I guess I will just have to go on my past experience and this review
The mission from the beginning, was to get as close as possible to a high end transparent and balanced sound within an average consumer budget. They succeeded, and have gotten even better since.
I have Heco Aurora 1000’s strictly for movies. Would the R700’s be a noticeable upgrade or not enough to justify the price? Bass is not an issue I have dual Rythmik FV15’s.
This speak now comes in white if you can find them. Thanks for the review.
I also went all in with Polk based on this and several other online reviews. R700s, R200s for surrounds, R400 center and a pair of R900s as height/Atmos. So now about 6 months out the only thing I feel missing is lack of volume from the R700s in Stereo mode. Oh, should mention also using new .Marantz SR8015 to power the entire home theater show. Marantz claims 140 WPC RMS when only powering the stereo pair, maybe I'm losing my hearing in old age but I don't think that claim is accurate. I'm looking at supplemental amps for at least the 2 channel without breaking the bank like under $2000 any suggestions would be appreciated particularly from anyone with Polk R700 experiences.
Emotiva amps. R700s will be very happy with external amp. Get a 3 channel for your center as well and biwire the 700s.
I think the Rotel RB-1552 Markii $1500 or RB-1582 Markii $2000 would be a good pairing. Either would be good power at 4ohms of the Polk's. I've tried the Hypex class D type amps with the R700 and thought it sounded great. Currently I'm using the Arcam PA240 with great results but it's a little over the $2k budget you want to be under. The Hypex type amps are moderately priced, best bang for the buck in my opinion..I still have mine but my Arcam has more power.
@@brandonadams7837bi-wire is snakeoil
If Gene is right, I bet those tweeters are extra chocolatey... 😉😉🤣
I wonder how carpet and hardwood floors effect the port
Would this R700 sound better or simply different to the Prime Pinnacles
also, whats the difference (other than volume) if two amps have same specs but wattage
im considering upgrading my Denon X6500h to either AVC 110 or X8500HA, but i dont know if it will be worth the money, considering my room is small to medium
9.1 x 11.1
Watched this video more than once, I learn something new every time and the banter is informative and enjoyable to listen to.
I have a Polk HTS-12 sub and it has a similar cone port. Seems to work very well.
Mine come in today with the rotel rb1582 feeding them and a node x for digital. First rig.
The revels you're talking about are all ported look at picture the port or two on back are very visible
Anybody use a Topping PA5 with this speaker ? I only ask because to the class D warning given around the 40 min mark.
I believe the Polk HT subs have the power port tech but not the 2.0. Looks very similar to my Legends.
Does anyone have thoughts on the Revel Concerta2 f36? Just went on sale and now within in my budget 30% off so now $1540 pr. I was considering the klh Kendall and Polk R600.
I'm seriously considering these speakers as well as the Canton Vento. How do the Polks compare to the Cantons in terms of sound?
How do these Polk R700 Towers compare to the SVS Ultra Towers?
Many reviewers have noted that the R700 are fairly flat response speakers, whereas the SVS Ultra Towers are move U-shaped or V-shaped in response.
"2022 'budget' speaker awards"
🤣 Budget.
I’ve owned the RTA 11TL’s since ‘88. These look almost exact with exception of the woofer sizing. RTT11TL’s have 6.5” woofers and the same driver array. I like mine, fine….
@Audioholics Something you guys touched on was center channel options since the Reserve line doesn't offer a WTMW. I have had interest in the L400 previous to this video but with the endorsement from James it certainly reassures me. However, how would you say the L400 compares to the Paradigm 600C that retails for $700 less?
I've had both, the Paradigm is better for it's purpose. Dialog is ultra clear through the paradigm. The only real issue with it is, it reveals bad sources. I found some streaming, compressed, material sounds off. Feed it good quality and you'll be very happy. The polk is good, flat, but almost lifeless. Dynamic rang is also very low on the polk. The difference between quiet and loud in a scene is not entertaining, and certainly no where near the paradigm. The paradigm can also work with any amp quite easily, not the case with the polk. I'd say that no one does a center channel as good as paradigm, the founder is smoother and actually a bit less revealing than the Premier if you really want perfection IMO.
@@sturdyvw what 3 way center would you suggest to match to a pair of R700 towers?
@@LichaelMewisPolk L400.
I had the S60’s for a month or two then bought these. The S60’s are pretty good. These R700’s are great…
They have mind blowing bass. The clarity is beautiful. They leave me wanting for nothing
What AVR are you using to power these? I just bought a pair myself and I'm running an Onkyo TX-RZ730.
The bass is only ok, it's loud but rather soft and undefined. I like them a lot though, just compared to the jbl 590 it sounds very dull in the bass, way less punch. I like the midrange better than the 590 though. My biggest issue with the r700 is that the center, r400, doesn't keep up and sounds very hot in the treble when you turn it up. Low dynamic range on the whole series is an unspoken issue.
@@sturdyvw you sure it’s not your source / amplifier?
@@jdavis234 could be but I doubt it. I have an anthem mrx740 and an mrc 325. I’ve also tried them with some outlaw 2220 mono blocks but it got worse on that setup. I finally settled with arendal 1723 towers and am quite happy, plenty of slam and very dynamic without being harsh.
How would they compared with the paradigm monitor se 8000f ?!!
In terms of highs Mid and bass
The Paradigms are more of a party type speaker that plays loud with lots of bass and treble. The Polk R700s are more refined than the 8000F. A more apples to apples comparison would be the Polk R700 and Paradigm 800f.
Would you say that the paradigm are capable of more bass output in terms of depth and impact then the r700 ?
Since you compare the r700 to the 800f and the 800f are not able to dig as deep to the 8000f?!
These equate to a pair of R200's with stands and two subs. The R200's would have the advantage of a slightly smaller front baffle.
I have these R700’s and you need a subwoofer. The base is very thin
I'd love to see a pair of Krells with an electronic crossover drive this pair, like the KSA-50 for the mid-highs, and a KSA-250 for the bass drivers. Imagination is a dangerous thing
Ok people. Get smart .Polk speakers are freaking awesome!!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I’m just saying. I have the 700s 400s and the 200s and the 900 in reserve mostly. Omg!!!! You don’t need sub !! Trust me these are the freaking best speakers for cheap prices!!!!!!!!!!!! Hello wake up people . Oh and I have all hooked up to my baby marantz cinema 50 and I have no amp. But I’m getting the emotiva
Great review. I am seriously considering these but can't justify the upgrade to the L400 for the center and the lack of a recommended matching in-wall for surrounds. I'm leaning towards Paradigm Premier 800f / 600c setup for those reason. Still love the R700 though.
Decisions, decisions!
Definitely reasonable. The Polk L400 is expensive, but I think it would be a better center than the Premier centers, so it's not as if the extra cost didn't gain a return. But it's still an expensive center speaker. By the way, I am not so sure the cost of the 600c is justified over the 500c unless you want to run the center full range. Most bang for the buck is probably the 500c.
Thanks for the response James! Definitely something to consider.
@@jameslarson2277 hey James you gave the SVS PPinnacle a glowing review .
Which of these do you prefer ?
Also, I feel there is more to Revel and Infinity drivers than just being “an anodized aluminum driver”, maybe when you have an MMD which is a 5%90%5% sandwich. But CMMD is 20%60%20% that’s 40% ceramic! Can we really call something that is 60/40 aluminum? As far as I know Revel hasn’t publicized their ratio, who knows whether they bumped it up or down. But dampening and stiffening through sandwiches of constrained-layers is sound science, and probably shouldn’t be brushed off as merely just another aluminum driver. (I only know about this because I own some CMMD speakers, and am biased by my own limited consumer-education about my immediate products, I wish they were deep anodized titanium instead of aluminum) there’s a Harmon White paper on CMMD tech which is interesting read too, it’s one page. Also this. th-cam.com/video/n5WAu9RetJI/w-d-xo.html
Old infinity drivers were graphite drivers..img the later ones Harman kardon are cmmd drivers
Hello from Bombay (Mumbai) India!
Thank you for a very informative review. However, I have a few questions/concerns:
1. Would the spikes penetrate a really thick deep-pile carpet?
2. When placed on such a carpet, would it block the downward firing port, thereby affecting the bass response?
3. I am seated about 10 feet from the L/R towers in my home-theater. My seated ear-height is about 39" above the floor. At their height of 45", would these speakers be too tall for me?
4. My room is small, only about 11.5 feet x 15.5 feet, but it is an acoustically-treated space. Could these speakers overload the room?
Your advice would be much appreciated!
Gene, would you guys recommend these on sale right now for $1799 pr or the Revel Concerta2 f36 on sale for $1540 pr? I believe the Concert2 won an award from you in the past. Any thoughts, this will be my first "hifi" purchase as I'm closing in on retirement. 2 channel listening and TV. Thanks Dave
I just had these home for audition for 2 weeks but to my surprise I didn't like them.
Vocals sound a little thin and they are far back in the mix. Best way to describe it was lifeless and a little boring. I didn't get emotinally engaged in the music. I listen to acoustic music 95% of the time so keep that in mind. My foot wasn't tapping. I found myself listening to the speaker instead of enjoying the music if that makes sense.
But on a few songs they were incredible - female vocals stood out. Great bass and impact and lots of details. Good dynamics. They played best at louder volumes, for me that is ~85 db. My amp is class a/b with 120 watts.
I would recommend a thourogh listen before buying. They might be perfect for you.
The l400 ce ter is way too expensive... I jave a Onkyo rz50.. with what other center speaker can we match the polk r700?! In cabada its 2500$ almost its crazy
So, it's in the price range of svs ultra tower. 🤔
About $200 less. It all comes down to, how do they sound and looks.
I had the SVS towers here at the house ended up returning them because the timber and tonality of the mid range was truly underwhelming, for both music and movies.
Still have my sda 1b's still sound amazing
Phenomenal material, thanks!!
Hi! New to your channel. Very impressed with the level of detail you offer. My question for you, is whether my Marantz PM8005 would be able to drive these speakers to its full potential. The PM8005 go down to 4 ohm at 100watts - 70 watts at 8 ohm. I would really appreciate some advice. Thank you!
OK, here is the 64 dollar question: You have given excellent reviews to the Polk R700 and Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8000F II . Seeing as there is no place to personally audition either or both of these speakers even in a market like Columbus, Ohio, which should I choose?
As Best Buy is not currently carrying either model, I will have to buy them online from the manufacturer or a dealer like Crutchfield. How I lament the departure of so many local audio and home theater stores over the 49 years I have lived here. Very sad.
And here's the 128 dollar question: Will I hear an improvement over my current Definitive Technology BP-2004TL L/R speakers I purchased in 2000?
Great review guys, I am old school and really like to see the measurements behind a product. There's to much fluffy reviews out there, who haven't got a clue when it comes to the science behind a product.
Hi Gene, I’m auditioning the Martin Logan’s F100’s and so far I’m not too impressed, especially with the upper midrange. I feel the Polks might to a better job and for almost 3k less. The bass, imaging, soundstage are really good. But I just felt the F100 needed more weight and smoothness in upper midrange vocals. So for 5k, I’m not feeling it. With that said, do you feel these Polks have a smoother upper midrange and more in line with what I like? Should I go up and try the Legends 700? Please reply with your feedback and thank you for doing a great job as always.
John
Maybe you heard the F100s in a bad set up or room acoustics? They should be a significant step up from the Polk R700s which are also excellent speakers too.
@@Audioholics They’re loosening up a bit and they are PERFECT IN EVERY WAY except a little brightness in upper midrange vocals; I don’t know if that will change with more hours on them. Andrew Robinson had the same opinion and it very well could be the synergy with my Ayon tube amp. My room is good as with other speaker I’ve had I did not have that problem and I do have a treated dedicated treated listening room of 13 x 14.
@@Bayportjohn I just had the XT B100's in house for a couple weeks. I had the same impressions about the B100's that you had with the towers. The Polk bookshelf R200 is more balanced and full sounding in comparison. The tweeter in the B100 is pretty sweet though, it's like refinement and extension compared to the Polk Ring tweeter. At least with the bookshelf speaker..in my opinion.
@@NosEL34 Hey Jake, yeah they did open up slightly and it’s a shame because they do everything else really well. The bass is deep and articulate and they image really good. Oh well…😎
@@Bayportjohn yeah it seems there is always compromises we have to make when choosing loudspeakers. I hope the F100's keep getting better you, as I agree that the new Motion line has some special characteristics about them. I did go ahead and order the Polk Reserve R700 today though. From spending alot of time with their bookshelf I sort of know what to expect. The Legend series may have that slightly higher refinement sound to them vs the Reserve if one is able to notice..but the Legend series is more aesthetically pleasing I feel. I know the R700 will give me at least a very balanced sound that is good with multiple music genres as well as poor and exceptional recordings. $2k price range is nice too. Good luck 👍
If this thing has the cabinet of the L600 it would be unstoppable. What are your thoughts of the R700 against the L600.
Those woofers have to be reinforced poly. Pure poly (like infinity used in to the 80's) is too soft. They fixed the issue with graphite injection.
POLK R700 or Klipsch RP 8000F ?
The Polk is the better performing speaker. It’s in its own league in its price point.
I've been testing the L600 which is basically just a R700 with a combo wood veneer/gloss black finish instead of cheap yet not terrible looking vinyl wrap and cheaper looking base and it blows the RP-8000f away in 90% of audio reproduction. R700 is a true 3 way and the Klipsch only a 2.5 way. The Klipsch was more muddy/recessed when it came to dialogue, vocals and anything in the midrange. I had to turn it up to stupid levels to understand softer dialogue unlike with the Polks.
I loved the horn tweeter on the Klipsch. Jazz/horn/wind instruments were ethereal sounding and goose bump inducing. However when listening to classical music some instruments in the midrange just went missing. With the Polks the midrange returned and dialogue/vocals cleared up. Both the very solid pinnacle ring tweeter and the fully enclosed mid range turbine cone mid-wolfer gets very close to the Klipsch on those same horns/wind instruments. It's never fatiguing unlike the Klipsch but you do lose some of the sparkle that the RP-8000F had.
The other difference is the Klipsch didn't suffer from the slight changes that a polypropylene cone gives to some sounds. Some things sound better like big timpani drums but a snare or cymbal's decay isn't a good as with the RP-8000F or fiber/paper cone using wolfers. Guitar has less sparkle and a slightly different tone with the Polks which I enjoy less than I did with the Klipsch. All things considered if you mostly listen to classic rock this might not be the best speaker for you. Stevie Ray Vaughn's Texas Flood didn't have the same sizzle as with more forward sounding speakers like my vintage 3 way or the Klipsch but Pink Floyd sounds basically as good so it's up and down. Jazz also loses just a tiny (very tiny) bit of it's magic that horn loaded speakers give it but the tradeoff is 0 fatigue from mids/highs.
The RP-8000FII got significant upgrades: much larger voice coils and better waveguide and passive cooling for the tweeter so I suspect it becomes way more of a fair fight but I bet the Polk r700 (or it's much prettier sister the L600) still likely will have the slight edge when it comes to overall performance across more genres of music and with tv/movies thanks to the excellent clarity the midrange offers as well as the superior cabinet construction. I did notice some nasty resonances at times with the RP-8000fs but never with the L600's. Cabinet rigidity is far superior with the Polks.
The RP-8000F do have a really nice look and finish for their price but that has a cost and it was apparent to me in a head to head when comparing their sound. Hope you find what you enjoy the most :)
@@juqual78 nice thanks for sharing
I know this is an old review but maybe someone could help.
Anyone driven these speakers with a Hegel H95? I have a smaller room and interested in these but from what I'm reading the Hegel H95 may be underpowered. Although on the Polk website they say from 50-350 watts. Thanks
The sensitivity is really bad, only 88 dB.
The L600 are like 86! Yet somehow they sound freaking amazing when driven with powerful quality gear. I suspect these are no different as they use the same parts and also have an inert cabinet to handle all that power well.
The super sensitive Klipsch Heritage Cornwall IV and Forte IV speakers sounded worse than the L600 tower in just about every way imo. I didn't expect that at all but it's what my ears told me over months of testing.
I have to wonder if this spec is important when it comes to sound quality. It seems to be more of a spec about max volume possible but power is cheap these days. Who cares how loud your speaker will get if it sounds like crap. I was driving the L600 speakers to deafening yet clear levels regardless of that 86 rating because of the very affordable and clean power on the used and even new markets these days.
We really do live in the golden age of Hi and Mid fi. Polk is imo now one of the leaders of affordable high end-mid fi with these rather amazing speakers. These might not sound as good as $25,000 speakers but they are really really close and will leave even rather picky people like myself extremely happy feeling like we are only giving up a few percentage points of sound quality for the cost of a car :)
How will this compare to rp280f?
You know Gene, most of you audio video TH-cam guys annoy me on a regular basis. That being said, I have enjoyed your personality as well as your extended knowledge of electrical engineering combined with all your experience, to no end. You’re definitely one of a kind and I would be remiss not to mention how classy you’ve been with involving your wife on the camera, and acknowledging her considerable contributions to the show and website, without shoving her on us all the time like that insufferable Andrew does with his wife Christie. Yeah, I named names, lol. Those two peggers are like caricatures of real people (insert classic LA expat stereotypes). Not classy on my part but I thought you might want specifics over generalizations when being told you’re doing better than another channel. That whole thing he does where she talks off camera while he pulls faces in her direction and totally infantilizes her as if she’s using her brain for the first time) is only exceed in contrivance by the bass fader he cranks up on his own voice (which makes every little tap of his mic sound like somebody is breaking into my speakers, lol). OK, Gene! It’s been real and it’s been fun, hopefully you had real fun reading this. Keep up the great work in 2022 and thanks to your guests and your other team members for a very nice 2021!
Wow..
You absolutely took the words and descriptions right out of my mouth about Robinson. Insufferable and unbearable and those caricature faces and hand movements. Pathetic. Fortunately I never stuck around long enough to see his wife.
Ha-ha...funny...
Hi guys, thanks for your expertise!
I'm looking for a pair of big Tower speakers and an AMP. I Will use Them in a stereo mode but as well with Marantz 5014 ( 7.1.1) as a home theater. I've a budget ok 15k CND before taxes.
My Room in the basement is 800 sqft where the home theater takes 2/3 of the Room. The sofa is about 15 feets from the wall of projection.
My first question :
1.) What repartition of the budget should be put on speakers vs amplifier? 50/50?
I Also watched your review of the Paradigm Founder 100F, that was great thanks!
For now it's one of my Choice with the Yamaha As-1220.
I've Also like the:
- Aria Focal 948 paires with the Luxman 507ux
-Dali Opticon 8 with the Hegel 330.
I will go lister to the Polk R700 because all reviews says it amazing. But since it's cheaper should Invest more budget into the Amplifier?
Also I may have the opportunity to buy a 10 years olds Bowers&Wilkins 800 series diamond for 5k. It's in great condition & sounds amazing. Would you consider that options? Or would stick with only New gear.
Thanks un avance for your guidance.
Cheers!
MG
Thank you for the discussion on these. Definitely on my list for a New Years purchase.
These are marketed as 8 ohm speakers.
How would these compare to the KEF Q950? Ready to buy a large tower that sounds good at low volume yet the ability to perform at high volumes.
Would a denon x2700h be able to run a 5.1 in this polk range?
When are you guys going to get over your beef with PowerSoundAudio? Please review their efficient MTM soeakers
When will audioholics review the monoprice T6 and B6 encore system
It's in the works!
@@Audioholics damn I wasn't expecting a reply, thank you so much. I'm building my first home theater as a student, so def looking for best bang for my budget and slowly go from there.
Getting these next week!
and what do you think four months later?
@@machiventa858 very happy: hard to beat for the money
Which bookshelf speaker does Gene recommend to go with the r700? And aren't bookshelf speakers sold in pairs?
35:03 that’ll teach kids not to touch tweeters!!! 😂😂 I bet designer got a kick out of the end shape.
I'm still leaning towards the paradigm 800f , I already have the 600c center which I find is fantastic so thinking I'll get the rest of the series to match them up!
If Gene's not selling his reference speakers, and replacing them with these, neither am I! Thx Gene!
Is there a reason you never bench tested the RX-A3080 avr? I've been looking forward to that full review for the longest time. I do appreciate the current bench tests os the rx-a6a and a8a. What are the major differences of these avrs?
How can you get good measurements on a wobbly ladder? For every action there is an equal reaction, thus if the speaker is rocking backwards as the driver is exerting force forwards, energy is lost and distortion is added relative to the movement (opposing or with the drivers movement) of the cabinet. I wasn't expecting much of a difference when I spiked my (wobbly on carpet) RTI A9s to the concrete floor, but there was a huge improvement in the tightness of bass and output.
Yeah, the RTi series suck for music, but the concept is the same for bass drivers to be firing against rock solid cabinets. I even noticed a bigger improvement with my LS50s when I replaced wobbly stands with rock solid sand filled stands. My wobbly stands were very heavy and sand filled (which isolates resonance into the wooden floor system), but did nothing to stop the cabinets from moving against the force of the drivers and causing distortion.
Wobbly speakers are akin to throwing a heaving object standing on a skateboard or ice. You just aren't going to get the same force forwards if you are moving backwards. It's a law of physics.
The ladder isn't wobbly. Also, in the scenarios you have outlined, I doubt that the loudspeaker enclosure would move enough to affect the sound.
Gene ! If I didn't know better I'd say your representing Polk ?
As far as I understand, that's for Surround. Not for audiophiles
@Gene / James , Paradigm C600 Premier series also a MTM .. any thoughts ?
Lol Regardless
Thoughts on the r700 in a carpeted room? Do the standard spikes provide enough clearance from the carpet so the bass response isn’t neutered?
how dose it compare to the klipsch rp8000f ii?
Did you also test R350 performance?
Ya I tried to find these in black every where, I gave up. Keep getting outta stock for months. Pick up a klipsch rp set.
Same. Went with the L600 towers instead when they went on sale after waiting for 2+ months! I couldn't do the wood style vinyl wrap personally, only the black would do since no white. With all that said I couldn't be more happy with the black ash version as it looks great, specially with the covers on. Easily worth $1500 each. The sound is fantastic. I couldn't be more happy with them when paired with beefy 350+ watt amps. These things slam with an absolute clarity and precision that the RP-8000F that I tested couldn't hope to touch, specially in the mid range. Klipsch RP are decent and come with great finishes but there is a reason even the poorly finished (but great sounding) R700 costs more.
I tried out Corwall4 and Forte4 and both were not as good as these speakers imo. They sounded muddled and lacked the good soundstage and clarity that the L600 achieved. I honestly was shocked at how bad they sounded in comparison to the L600 towers but alas my wallet is very thankful! I strongly suspect I would also be happy with the R700s sound wise, but just not looks wise. Glad I made the switch personally because I see them too much in the daytime!