Steve, I just love how clear it is that you love music and the gear that reproduces it. So many reviewers are obviously gear heads and not so much music lovers. I always learn so much about different kinds of music when I listen to your reviews. Thank you!!!
Not “bringing down” anyone, just simply stating that there are MANY audio reviews on TH-cam that are done by gear heads who obviously are obsessed with the gear and not the music. You bring up an interesting thing though - sometimes in order to praise one thing, you need to give examples of what is not good. I’m not going to apologize for this.
Listening here in Scotland you can probably still hear my laugh all those miles away at “ribbed for your listening pleasure “ Brilliant Also glad you’re a fan of local band Belle and Sebastian
@@davidfromamerica1871 Ribbed woofers are not snake oil, or a recent development. Ribbed woofers were first developed in the 1950's, and for two very good reasons. Electric guitars, and rock and roll. Guess what happens to smooth paper woofers when you crank them? Distortion. Lots of it. Guess what happens when you reinforce the rigidity of a woofer through ribbing? Less distortion at higher volumes, without the warping of using thicker materials, or the ringing of using metals. Assuming all things to be equal, a smooth cone speaker will break-up earlier, and result in lower SPL. There's nearly 70 years of testing and research that confirms it. If you like to crank it, ribbed cones are better. If you like a cleaner, more defined sound, ribbed cones are better.
Wasn't the Third Eye Centre a pretentious place in Glasgow in the 80s full of art students ? Is that a live album or did Belle and Sebastian just remember it fondly ? And who is this bloke from Lochwinnoch with the weird sense of humour ? I think we should be told, although it shouldn't be hard to track him down. Far as I can tell, Lochwinnoch only has one street.
@GeneralCurtis3LeMay Bit of a broad brush. The guy who sold me my Zingalis was very nice to me. Mind you that was 15 years ago. Loud and Clear were also always pretty good back in my Musical Fidelity days. But then I'm a nice guy. People like me. What can I say ? They smile when they sell me stuff. That's why I mostly buy on the electronic internet now. I'm tired of all that relentless cheerfulness and goodwill
Listening to your description of the R100 brought back VERY fond memories of my Polk Audio Monitor 4A speaker circa 1985. LOVED that little non-SDA speaker!
Your reviews are so perfect. I have polk 220B and paired with yamaha it sound so polished and full and musical and satisfying which my kef 150 , q 3050i are not. I m planning for R200. Bigger cabinet have advantage of fullness of sound. Female vocals sound fabulous, unmatched sweet and shimmering
Glad to see Polk back in the spotlight! I've been a longtime Polk fan. Still have several pairs that are 30yrs old. Very easy to listen to and not finicky to set-up.
Interesting.. I have a pair of Polk monitor 10 series 2 with 8” stands from the early 90s for stereo that I never really thought were as good as the originals, which I couldn’t afford to buy a decade earlier; but I got a deal on the series 2 before they were discontinued and I never was really happy with them at higher volumes until I finally redesigned the crossovers with one of the Polk engineers and upgraded the tweeters on Polk’s recommendation as well. Now at least they’re a respectable set of floor standers that I listen to, but I still sense that their sound signature exhibits a slightly veiled tone around 1 kHz, but not bad at all. Seems to be great for certain genres of music. Certainly not 100% neutral sounding, but a pleasant listening experience with a wide sound stage and decent imaging; I also love how they dig fairly deep, even at low volume, so subs were never necessary. I think Polk had a pretty good idea of good passive radiator design practice back in the day.👨🏻
Nat Geo is doing a "Genius" series and the one I watched was "Aretha" A really excellent biography of Aretha Franklin. The Music is done really well, I think she is played by a Brit actress and she did all her own singing. Great Cast and very interesting. They even brushed on the Muscle Shoals sessions if you saw the documentary Muscle Shoals.
@@davidfromamerica1871 I saw that this one is available on Amazon Prime as well. That delux set looks like you get the cd. There is only one available on ebay
I bought the Polk Reserve 200s from Polkaudio but they canceled my order and after speaking with a supervisor they apologized for the problem and gave me a 20% discount on them and I actually paid less than I would have if I bought the R 100s. Total price was 554 .55. Now I just need a receiver for them. I have a sub and this set up is for Home theater
My first pair of high end bookshelf speakers were Polks. This was back in the 80’s before Polk had been acquired by UA and was still considered to be a high end speaker brand. I worked a whole summer caddying to earn the money to buy those speakers and they were awesome when I got them. They had a tremendous full range sound. The bass in those speakers were as good as most floor standers. I finally got rid of those speakers this year. They had become so scratched up that I couldn’t look at them anymore, but they still sounded decent, even 40 years later. Then in the 90’s polk went mainstream and sort of lost their high-end quality level. I think the reserves are a throwback to the old Polk audio, back when they were a great speaker company.
The so called "bookshelf" speaker such as the Polk Monitor 10 are way bigger than the so called bookshelf speaker of today. Personally I am not a fan of a ported speaker, the design with two 6" drivers making a 10" passive radiator radiate was a winner. I am still using the 10s in a system with a Kenwood receiver and Marantz CD changer along with later purchased Polk R1 upside down on top of the 10s which does add flavor however the R1s are not very good and the R200 at 700 bucks now you are talking Magnepan LRS speakers which are quite a step up albeit finicky.
Steve I've got to tell you. I read your old review about the Tekton Mini Lore speakers (on CNET from 2012). Well, after reading some more reviews I went ahead and bought a pair. Wow, just outstanding speakers all around. Great bass, mids, and highs (not fatiguing). Easy to drive - high sensitivity and 8 ohms - and they get loud if you want them to but they sound great at any volume. Everything I want and nothing I don't. I don't see how these small towers could ever be beat for the money. Thanks for the review and happy listening!
Well, here goes. I had a set of Focal Aria 906's. You know $2200, all the detail. They edged out the $3000 B&W 705s2 for me. One day I'm listening to louder music and it was obvious the tweeter rang and there was a scoop out in the mids. Ughg. High end, I don't think so. I auditioned a set of Polk R-100's. The response was very even. Warm. And very transparent. I wasn't lacking any detail. They also scale up with better electronics. So yes, I sold the Aria and for the reserve. Am I saying they are superior to the focal aria 902 and B&W 705s2? Yes, without hesitation. Those two are overpriced nonsense. Polk has great engineering, not boutique hype. If you gave the Polk an esoteric name like "Orgasme sonore" and a real veneer, you could charge $2500 a pair. Add a sub, and I like them better than the Buchardt S400MkII. Polk truly made a giant killer that will make you question the sanity of spending more for music. And no more metal tweeters for me , ever.
Ah! The Clash. "The ONLY Band that matters!" And...as I was "Like" number 69 this morning I too will declare my guffaw at "ribbed for your listening pleasure." Have a great weekend Steve.
You can get spoiled these days with all the good choices available today. I still have my infinity Interlude IL10s speakers along with the IL 50s still have them today 18 years later and never looked back.
The R200 lured me a bit ... but as my 2 channel system changed into a vintage set ( Dual 1209 + Yamaha CR-800 ) my interest changed more into retro speakers to replace the Polk S20E on it. Saw your review of the Whatfedale Linton 85th anniversary, out of my budget by far, digged more about the brand and found the Denton 80th anniversary ... quite a while on the market, price quite dropped a bit, promised a own character and looking gorgeous. But if I ever plan to upgrade my 5.1 system ( Polk Signatures ) the R-series is still in the back of my head.
Thanks so much for this and indeed all your reviews. The insights and Impressions offered, make it far easier to grasp the gyst, especially with direct comparison. Much appreciated. If at all possible, I'd like your impressions of the new Polk R700, thanks.
A center speaker with a mono signal and a separate amp from your Left and Right and a tool like that Tone controller from 'Schitz' and you'll be fussing with every album, CD etc to get that more perfect sound. It still sounds like Stereo if you do it right, but now center stage become clearer and sharper, almost touchable. That interview you did at Klipsch really drove home the concept of speakers are engines. Once I thought that I realized that the worst enemy of any engine is 'friction.' So great speakers move great volumes of air are most likely to be efficient engines with as little friction as possible. Such as Klipsch R600m are designed with a greater depth than they are tall or wide makes sense that it's cavity is large inside to use in such a way the engine (the speaker) moves by a fraction to a thunderous sound in DB to a Meter. I think the Center Speaker (not video center) has some good potential that can add not a third channel so much as sound. Sound doesn't come normally where musicians gather and play. Musicians don't all end up on the RIGHT OR LEFT when they play and a ghost like image between speakers filling in as good as possible doesn't change the fact that you are hearing a remnant of people who stood (in the mix) center stage.... Hence a Speaker in the middle helps create the real image of characters making music and you are at the Mets or favorite venue.
Steve, I have to say I listen to your bookshelf speaker reviews and I just want to add them to my collection, but I am out of systems to associate them with. I actually went totally in the other direction and added a pair of Magnepan 1.5s to my collection, these were 20 years old from one owner. So, perhaps, I am in need of rehab. They sound fuller than my .7s that I have in my home system. I need more rooms!!
Mentioning nostalgia, was listening to Mark Knopfler's homage, " Lonnie Donagan's Gone" . Who can forget "Does Your Chewing Gun Lose It' Flavor On the Bedpost Over Night"
Thanks for mentioning the soundtrack CD. I have already reserved the Motown documentary from library. Can't wait to enjoy that. Too bad Qobuz does not have the soundtrack CD.
I have b&w's now but I Still have my polk rt 2000p's and rt7's i bought new many years ago sitting in my closet. And for music I always thought the rt7's sounded alot better than the rt 2000's did. I may have to check these out.
Great review because I’m in the market for some new bookshelf speakers. Along with a new integrated amp. The good news is I have some time to research and hopefully listen before I make my purchases. It appears that they are a great choice for a variety of genres of music and maybe a little more forgiving of not so good recordings. Rated at 4ohms I have to find an amp source in my budget that will match these speakers. Glad to hear that these could be your new “go to” for reviewing amps.
I still have my 26 yr old Polk SDA speakers and Adcom components. Such a shame I haven't been able to use since source the source switch on the tuner preamp stopped working. Everything else is still just fine.
Which Polks? I had Monitor 10’s that I couldn’t get rid of fast enough. Very muddy bass. But my Monitor 7’s were far better. Much cleaner, enjoyable sound. But neither could hold a candle to my Tekton Lore Reference. I can’t say enough about them. I’ve never heard the DI’s but I can tell you that you’re in for the time of your life when you get them hooked up.
One dimension that you did not touch upon is the Polks' performance using low-watt amplification, e.g. the Decware, the Amp Camp Amp, First Watt J8, Reisong. I am thinking that the Klipsch makes a better pairing if low-watt amplification is your bag. Would you still recommend the Polk for those pairings?
The comparison with the RP-600 got kinda close to "Yeah...the Polk R200 mighta sounded better...but KLIPSH!" 😉 Thanks for the reviews. It was helpful to hear the comparisons. How does the R200 compare to your memory of the Elac Debut Reference?
Good morning Steve ... I have a couple of questions for you. What is the title of the album you are holding during the video ....? second question ... between polk audio r200 and B&W ... 606 ... which do you think is better? thank you, a hug
I had the Polk R200's. Just returned them. They can play loud. They do have a decent sound, but I do not like the Ring Radiator tweeter. If it's not exactly at ear level, symbols just seem to fade into the background. I think the R200 could be an end game speaker for some. Specially if you have a Bright system. These go on sale for $549, Do not pay full retail price. They aren't that good. They are sale price good.
I stayed because of this at the polk ES20 speakers.The dome tweeter makes the job,wide dispersion,fills the room no problematic "sweet point".I know they are not flat and linear,but I do not care about it,I do not use eq,tones,etc..Just simple pure stereo.👍
After all the bookshelf speaker reviews lately I think its time for a perspective on how these things stack up. I know Steve loves the Klipsch 600s and seems really high on the Polk 200s reviewed here. Would be interesting to see Steve do a roundup and offer perspectives on which ones he'd buy today and why. Also, a floor standing speaker review would be welcome at this point.
I have both right now, the klipsch sounds like half the music is missing in comparison. The bass is bigger sounding on the klipsch but is less defined than the Polk. The Polk is the one you want if you have the little bit of extra money. It doesn’t care what type of music you like, just plays it like the band is there, I noticed that with acoustic tracks when people are talking in the background, it sounds like the people are there in the room. The polks will scale much better when you upgrade your equipment. As I hoooked up different amps the polks changed a ton more than the klipsch. I can’t see anyone picking the klipsch if you heard them next to each other.
I have the entry level T15 bookshelf speakers and they sound pretty good for what they are. They do have some bass output. Not much but you can hear it just a little depending on the frequency. The highs were ok. The tweeter was lacking so I put better ones in. Now I can hear the strings in a guitar and violin. I’m just now really learning about sensitivity and frequency responses. It makes a big difference. These Polk audios plays much louder than my older techniques but the techniques have a much deeper bass response but I have to turn my volume up higher to actually hear them play.
👍Great review, Steve. On thing though, comments on actual perceived differences between Reserve and Legend “books” since you did note they were very similar in design, but the Legends are typically double in price at msrp. Benefit of two sets of Reserve vs one set of Legends? 👨🏻 The one thing you did make clear is that the Reserve series is a better bang/buck, but what about minor benefits (or drawbacks) sonically for spending twice as much?
What is the Speaker Stand called that he shows in the Thumbnail. I just got my R100 and it seems very hard to find good stands, because they are narrower than most speakers
"Hey there little Billy.... don't touch the speakers.... See that little thing sticking out at the top of them?? The engineers designed them to "Polk" you in the eye if you touch them!!" ;) ;)
Nice video! But I have a question, where can I get those white diffusers you have in the background? I've seen similar but those you have looks really cool.
03.42...Hahaa, Lachaim!!!🤪 Would like to try the R100/R200.. Now i use Triangle Borea 3 speakers, connected with Bluesound Node 2i (wired connected with the modem)and Aiyima D03 mini amplifier..sounds surprisingly good/full.. I didn't expect it either..certainly not for that price (€150,-). .Okay..i'm living in a small "apartment" (25m2) with high ceiling, in Ams. Maybe that's why.. Later on, i want to try the SMSL AL-200.. Pff..what a bullshit about "made in China" that makes lots of consumer hifi/cameras/kitchen equipment/electric tools(like Milwaukee,Dewalt,Makita,etc) more affordable.. And probably more profitable for the brand.. Lower salary-and environment-costs..as compared to Europe/USA/Canada/Australia/Japan.. Yeahh..we all want "the best possible quality, but for the cheapest possible price....'"
Steve, I searched your channel for reviews or even conventional audiophile wisdom on speaker stands. How important are they? What to avoid? Would a quality speaker + quality stand combo possibly be nearly as expensive as a quality stand-up speaker?
I hate how so many speaker makers make these hard to drive speakers... Not only do you need higher end amps but these 4 ohm speakers push all amps harder.
I’ve got the denon 600 ne, which I absolutely love, and I’m looking for an upgrade speaker from some cheapo 3-way technics speakers. I need a pair that sound good with basically any genre on vinyl / BT from low volumes to party level loud. My room is about 14 x 20 ft and I keep circling second hand ls50s, would this be a safe bet?
I’ve got the Denon PMA 600ne and have used the Klipsch R51m, the Sony CSS5 and now have the KEF q150s. The KEFs are amazing with this amp and believe it or not the cheap Sonys seemed to outperform the Klipsch.
I really struggle with this fashion of (sometime very expensive) small speakers mounted on huge stands...which means the space below the speaker is lost cabinet space, leading to not enough bass without a subwofer. Many of them are taking almost as much living room real estate than my Wilson Audio Sophia Serie 1, even more so if one take into account the subwoofer(s) which my Sophia really do NOT need ! What are your thoughs on this. Last I just received delivery Today of a Moon 390 streamer/dac/preamp - any view on this gear ? I quite like your channel and you do well to insist on room acoustic/placement as most people do not spend enough time (and money) on what can bring very big improvements
Sometimes roomsize does not allow for tall floorstanders. Mostly because of excessive bass output or weight, taste, etc.. Bookshelfs are usually better in projecting a large and spatious soundstage, but often lack full bass or body. Although floorspeakers produce sometimes (not often) sub-bass, a powered subwoofer almost always outperforms it on every account, like extension, speed, etc. Bass is hard to get right in a speaker and subs, like SVS, use DSP equalizers to compensate for roommodes or bumps, etc. Your amp doesn't have to struggle with bass loads, low Ohm figures, etc. To get that right in a floorspeaker, you often pay a lot more, but sounds less good in general.
Hi Steve good afternoon, these or the ls50 meta? I listen to moderate level 65db @ 2 meters away in a room that is 12 ft long, 10 ft wide, and 9 ft high. I am running 1 sb4000 subwoofer right now paired with svs ultra bookshelf with parasound halo integrated. Thank you
It’s called a phase plug and it helps alleviate phase cancellation issues . For a better explanation search the terms I used above, it’s interesting if you are into diy speaker design, maybe less so if you are not. I hope that helps. Cheers
That question remained open in this review. I did not even understand which one is better (prices aside). In general I have a problem with value-for-money relativization of everything said about HiFi gear. Make no mistake, I love his record recommendations and admire his knowlege and overall experience, but I fundametally disagree with price-related relativization of everything said.
I agree with your comments...I own the L200's btw and I think they're great. The R200's benefit from a lot of the trickle down technology for about half the retailI guess it's common in the audio biz to market products this way.
What's the term that denotes broad, off axis (outside of the box) listening ? "Can i hear the far speaker, out side of the near speaker?" I'm looking for that, but maybe i'm missing if it's addressed. Thanks
![SAFEPLANET - ดาวเคราะห์ [ THE PLANET ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4X1XL3I_k3c/mqdefault.jpg)
Lifer Polkie here . Sda SRS from 1986 still impressing me everyday!!
SDA 2B here, purchased new in. Had many others come and go but these are still welcome.
That’s when Polk was a good company.
I bought the Monitor 7 from that era, still have them and love them.
Same......South Texas Polk Audio owner since 1987.
Steve, I just love how clear it is that you love music and the gear that reproduces it. So many reviewers are obviously gear heads and not so much music lovers. I always learn so much about different kinds of music when I listen to your reviews. Thank you!!!
I dont see why the need of bringing down others while praising one
Not “bringing down” anyone, just simply stating that there are MANY audio reviews on TH-cam that are done by gear heads who obviously are obsessed with the gear and not the music. You bring up an interesting thing though - sometimes in order to praise one thing, you need to give examples of what is not good. I’m not going to apologize for this.
@@777galamian No one is demanding you to apologise. You can walk with your nose up high all you want.
Listening here in Scotland you can probably still hear my laugh all those miles away at “ribbed for your listening pleasure “
Brilliant
Also glad you’re a fan of local band Belle and Sebastian
Rawr, yeah baby!!
Belle & Sebastian are from Scotland ? I love their music.
@@davidfromamerica1871 Ribbed woofers are not snake oil, or a recent development. Ribbed woofers were first developed in the 1950's, and for two very good reasons. Electric guitars, and rock and roll. Guess what happens to smooth paper woofers when you crank them? Distortion. Lots of it. Guess what happens when you reinforce the rigidity of a woofer through ribbing? Less distortion at higher volumes, without the warping of using thicker materials, or the ringing of using metals. Assuming all things to be equal, a smooth cone speaker will break-up earlier, and result in lower SPL. There's nearly 70 years of testing and research that confirms it. If you like to crank it, ribbed cones are better. If you like a cleaner, more defined sound, ribbed cones are better.
Wasn't the Third Eye Centre a pretentious place in Glasgow in the 80s full of art students ? Is that a live album or did Belle and Sebastian just remember it fondly ?
And who is this bloke from Lochwinnoch with the weird sense of humour ? I think we should be told, although it shouldn't be hard to track him down. Far as I can tell, Lochwinnoch only has one street.
@GeneralCurtis3LeMay Bit of a broad brush. The guy who sold me my Zingalis was very nice to me. Mind you that was 15 years ago. Loud and Clear were also always pretty good back in my Musical Fidelity days.
But then I'm a nice guy. People like me. What can I say ? They smile when they sell me stuff.
That's why I mostly buy on the electronic internet now. I'm tired of all that relentless cheerfulness and goodwill
Listening to your description of the R100 brought back VERY fond memories of my Polk Audio Monitor 4A speaker circa 1985. LOVED that little non-SDA speaker!
I have 4.5s in my living room, love them.
the clash! toronto 1979 and drove there from brooklyn. thanks for the effort and the sharing. thumbs up.
Your reviews are so perfect. I have polk 220B and paired with yamaha it sound so polished and full and musical and satisfying which my kef 150 , q 3050i are not. I m planning for R200. Bigger cabinet have advantage of fullness of sound. Female vocals sound fabulous, unmatched sweet and shimmering
Love the way you weave speaker and music reviews. Great job.
Glad to see Polk back in the spotlight! I've been a longtime Polk fan. Still have several pairs that are 30yrs old. Very easy to listen to and not finicky to set-up.
Interesting.. I have a pair of Polk monitor 10 series 2 with 8” stands from the early 90s for stereo that I never really thought were as good as the originals, which I couldn’t afford to buy a decade earlier; but I got a deal on the series 2 before they were discontinued and I never was really happy with them at higher volumes until I finally redesigned the crossovers with one of the Polk engineers and upgraded the tweeters on Polk’s recommendation as well. Now at least they’re a respectable set of floor standers that I listen to, but I still sense that their sound signature exhibits a slightly veiled tone around 1 kHz, but not bad at all. Seems to be great for certain genres of music. Certainly not 100% neutral sounding, but a pleasant listening experience with a wide sound stage and decent imaging; I also love how they dig fairly deep, even at low volume, so subs were never necessary. I think Polk had a pretty good idea of good passive radiator design practice back in the day.👨🏻
Recently I bought this speaker and it's everything you described, great value imo. Enjoyed your review and take on music, cheers!
Great review. Just got the Polk R200 this week. Set them up in my bedroom and am very impressed with the sound.
What amp you are using it with them Steven?
@@RanTausi I’m using a Yamaha A-S701 with mine and it’s a great pairing.
@@run4b33r do you think a AS501 would be enough power to drive the R200 or R100?
@@lr8621 I barely have turn up the volume on the 701 to make them sing, so I’d be shocked if the 501 wasn’t also plenty!
@@run4b33r where did you hook it up at the back of the receiver A or B? And is the switch on low or high?
That tube port looks like something Harley Earl put on a Buick or Olds in the 50s.
Another Greatest Speaker of the Month
Never knew of that Motown documentary. Thanks for the heads up, I will buy it today
I went to see it in the cinema during the Edinburgh film festival many years ago. Sounded incredible.
Nat Geo is doing a "Genius" series and the one I watched was "Aretha" A really excellent biography of Aretha Franklin. The Music is done really well, I think she is played by a Brit actress and she did all her own singing. Great Cast and very interesting. They even brushed on the Muscle Shoals sessions if you saw the documentary Muscle Shoals.
@@davidfromamerica1871 I saw that this one is available on Amazon Prime as well. That delux set looks like you get the cd. There is only one available on ebay
@@davidfromamerica1871 Thanks for the info.
I bought the Polk Reserve 200s from Polkaudio but they canceled my order and after speaking with a supervisor they apologized for the problem and gave me a 20% discount on them and I actually paid less than I would have if I bought the R 100s. Total price was 554 .55. Now I just need a receiver for them. I have a sub and this set up is for Home theater
My first pair of high end bookshelf speakers were Polks. This was back in the 80’s before Polk had been acquired by UA and was still considered to be a high end speaker brand. I worked a whole summer caddying to earn the money to buy those speakers and they were awesome when I got them. They had a tremendous full range sound. The bass in those speakers were as good as most floor standers. I finally got rid of those speakers this year. They had become so scratched up that I couldn’t look at them anymore, but they still sounded decent, even 40 years later. Then in the 90’s polk went mainstream and sort of lost their high-end quality level. I think the reserves are a throwback to the old Polk audio, back when they were a great speaker company.
The so called "bookshelf" speaker such as the Polk Monitor 10 are way bigger than the so called bookshelf speaker of today. Personally I am not a fan of a ported speaker, the design with two 6" drivers making a 10" passive radiator radiate was a winner. I am still using the 10s in a system with a Kenwood receiver and Marantz CD changer along with later purchased Polk R1 upside down on top of the 10s which does add flavor however the R1s are not very good and the R200 at 700 bucks now you are talking Magnepan LRS speakers which are quite a step up albeit finicky.
Bose?....🤔🤔🤔
@@FelixtheMetalcat Bose should never be mentioned on this page. Blasphemy!
🤔🤔🤔
@J William Collier then you never listen to them because the s60e is perfect. R700 might be even better.
Steve I've got to tell you. I read your old review about the Tekton Mini Lore speakers (on CNET from 2012). Well, after reading some more reviews I went ahead and bought a pair. Wow, just outstanding speakers all around. Great bass, mids, and highs (not fatiguing). Easy to drive - high sensitivity and 8 ohms - and they get loud if you want them to but they sound great at any volume. Everything I want and nothing I don't. I don't see how these small towers could ever be beat for the money. Thanks for the review and happy listening!
You say game changer for almost every speaker you review.
Thanks for jumping in with both feet on the new polks.
That convinced me. I'm trying out a pair of R200s. Thanks bro !
Well, here goes.
I had a set of Focal Aria 906's. You know $2200, all the detail. They edged out the $3000 B&W 705s2 for me. One day I'm listening to louder music and it was obvious the tweeter rang and there was a scoop out in the mids. Ughg. High end, I don't think so.
I auditioned a set of Polk R-100's. The response was very even. Warm. And very transparent. I wasn't lacking any detail. They also scale up with better electronics.
So yes, I sold the Aria and for the reserve. Am I saying they are superior to the focal aria 902 and B&W 705s2? Yes, without hesitation. Those two are overpriced nonsense.
Polk has great engineering, not boutique hype. If you gave the Polk an esoteric name like "Orgasme sonore" and a real veneer, you could charge $2500 a pair. Add a sub, and I like them better than the Buchardt S400MkII. Polk truly made a giant killer that will make you question the sanity of spending more for music. And no more metal tweeters for me , ever.
😮😂
Klipsch makes the rounds, all the reviewers then tackle the Triangles, before it was Elac, buchardt, and now let's all review Polk.
What a great endorsement. Good video!
Ah! The Clash. "The ONLY Band that matters!" And...as I was "Like" number 69 this morning I too will declare my guffaw at "ribbed for your listening pleasure." Have a great weekend Steve.
Nice double entendre on the ribbed woofers
Agree with you on Standing In the Shadows. I remember seeing it in a theatre - I definitely had goose bumps.
You can get spoiled these days with all the good choices available today. I still have my infinity Interlude IL10s speakers along with the IL 50s still have them today 18 years later and never looked back.
Appreciate this review both for the speakers AND the music ;). Love when you throw some music history in the mix.
That Motown CD / documentary is excellent.
Ribbed for your listening pleasure....bwaaaa!
The R200 lured me a bit ... but as my 2 channel system changed into a vintage set ( Dual 1209 + Yamaha CR-800 ) my interest changed more into retro speakers to replace the Polk S20E on it.
Saw your review of the Whatfedale Linton 85th anniversary, out of my budget by far, digged more about the brand and found the Denton 80th anniversary ... quite a while on the market, price quite dropped a bit, promised a own character and looking gorgeous.
But if I ever plan to upgrade my 5.1 system ( Polk Signatures ) the R-series is still in the back of my head.
Thanks so much for this and indeed all your reviews. The insights and Impressions offered, make it far easier to grasp the gyst, especially with direct comparison. Much appreciated.
If at all possible, I'd like your impressions of the new Polk R700, thanks.
Everyone should see Standing in the Shadows of Motown. The Funk Brothers finally receive the credit they deserve.
"ribbed for your listening pleasure"....
i feel so prophylactically protected by this description.
Dirty boy 😂😂😂😂😂
That's funny
😅😅
@@Jeton6 nailed it
Thank you for all the effort.
A center speaker with a mono signal and a separate amp from your Left and Right and a tool like that Tone controller from 'Schitz' and you'll be fussing with every album, CD etc to get that more perfect sound. It still sounds like Stereo if you do it right, but now center stage become clearer and sharper, almost touchable.
That interview you did at Klipsch really drove home the concept of speakers are engines. Once I thought that I realized that the worst enemy of any engine is 'friction.' So great speakers move great volumes of air are most likely to be efficient engines with as little friction as possible. Such as Klipsch R600m are designed with a greater depth than they are tall or wide makes sense that it's cavity is large inside to use in such a way the engine (the speaker) moves by a fraction to a thunderous sound in DB to a Meter.
I think the Center Speaker (not video center) has some good potential that can add not a third channel so much as sound. Sound doesn't come normally where musicians gather and play. Musicians don't all end up on the RIGHT OR LEFT when they play and a ghost like image between speakers filling in as good as possible doesn't change the fact that you are hearing a remnant of people who stood (in the mix) center stage.... Hence a Speaker in the middle helps create the real image of characters making music and you are at the Mets or favorite venue.
Thank for mentioning where they were made. Trying to support our economy when possible.
I agree, step up to the $999 Zu Dirty Weekend!
I love the Clash’s remastered Sandinista cd and I am not too crazy with the sound. I need to revisit my Clash cds with my older Polk
Steve, I have to say I listen to your bookshelf speaker reviews and I just want to add them to my collection, but I am out of systems to associate them with. I actually went totally in the other direction and added a pair of Magnepan 1.5s to my collection, these were 20 years old from one owner. So, perhaps, I am in need of rehab. They sound fuller than my .7s that I have in my home system. I need more rooms!!
Gotta love the Stereo Skateboards patch on your coat 🤌🏻
Fellow skateboarder here - It's not stereos logo, it's a 45rpm adapter
@@218maryland I learn something new every day. Thanks!
Mentioning nostalgia, was listening to Mark Knopfler's homage, " Lonnie Donagan's Gone" . Who can forget "Does Your Chewing Gun Lose It' Flavor On the Bedpost Over Night"
Some argue the old polk LSiM is better than Legend series. 3 ways are king 👑
I've only heard of Polk, never listened to one of them.
Good to see you talk about em!
A RIBBED woofer for our listening pleasure! Applause please!
Was anticipating your reflection on the klipsch comparison but it never came (for my pleasure)
Thanks for mentioning the soundtrack CD. I have already reserved the Motown documentary from library. Can't wait to enjoy that. Too bad Qobuz does not have the soundtrack CD.
I have b&w's now but I Still have my polk rt 2000p's and rt7's i bought new many years ago sitting in my closet. And for music I always thought the rt7's sounded alot better than the rt 2000's did. I may have to check these out.
Excellent review! The fun in a speaker is fun!
Great review because I’m in the market for some new bookshelf speakers. Along with a new integrated amp. The good news is I have some time to research and hopefully listen before I make my purchases. It appears that they are a great choice for a variety of genres of music and maybe a little more forgiving of not so good recordings. Rated at 4ohms I have to find an amp source in my budget that will match these speakers. Glad to hear that these could be your new “go to” for reviewing amps.
Another fantastic video Steve
I still have my 26 yr old Polk SDA speakers and Adcom components. Such a shame I haven't been able to use since source the source switch on the tuner preamp stopped working. Everything else is still just fine.
Great review, you’d have aced the police academy exam with this performance:)
Bought my Polks in 1985, they still sound great. Have ordered Teckton double impacts. I am worried the dis will not be revolutionary in comparison(?)
Which Polks? I had Monitor 10’s that I couldn’t get rid of fast enough. Very muddy bass. But my Monitor 7’s were far better. Much cleaner, enjoyable sound. But neither could hold a candle to my Tekton Lore Reference. I can’t say enough about them. I’ve never heard the DI’s but I can tell you that you’re in for the time of your life when you get them hooked up.
One dimension that you did not touch upon is the Polks' performance using low-watt amplification, e.g. the Decware, the Amp Camp Amp, First Watt J8, Reisong. I am thinking that the Klipsch makes a better pairing if low-watt amplification is your bag. Would you still recommend the Polk for those pairings?
How does Polk Salad Annie sound on them? "Polk Salad Annie, the gators got your granny, chomp, chomp, chomp."
Great track!!
I liked how Boozoo bajoo used Tony Joe white for a few swamp songs before he died
That’s a cool song! One of my all time favorites!
It's actually "Poke Salad Annie." "Poke" is an old word for a cloth sack.
@@bb3585 It is a green and can be eaten.
Torn between the R200 and the legend series. Choices choices
I know someday Steve will compare the 600M to Decware’s Betsy and related open baffle speakers....
The comparison with the RP-600 got kinda close to "Yeah...the Polk R200 mighta sounded better...but KLIPSH!" 😉
Thanks for the reviews. It was helpful to hear the comparisons.
How does the R200 compare to your memory of the Elac Debut Reference?
I actually saw Belle and Sebastian when I was in your neck of the woods, Steve. Saw them at Radio City Music Hall. Great show! Great Venue!
Good morning Steve ... I have a couple of questions for you. What is the title of the album you are holding during the video ....? second question ... between polk audio r200 and B&W ... 606 ... which do you think is better? thank you, a hug
I had the Polk R200's. Just returned them. They can play loud. They do have a decent sound, but I do not like the Ring Radiator tweeter. If it's not exactly at ear level, symbols just seem to fade into the background.
I think the R200 could be an end game speaker for some. Specially if you have a Bright system. These go on sale for $549, Do not pay full retail price. They aren't that good. They are sale price good.
I stayed because of this at the polk ES20 speakers.The dome tweeter makes the job,wide dispersion,fills the room no problematic "sweet point".I know they are not flat and linear,but I do not care about it,I do not use eq,tones,etc..Just simple pure stereo.👍
After all the bookshelf speaker reviews lately I think its time for a perspective on how these things stack up. I know Steve loves the Klipsch 600s and seems really high on the Polk 200s reviewed here. Would be interesting to see Steve do a roundup and offer perspectives on which ones he'd buy today and why. Also, a floor standing speaker review would be welcome at this point.
I have both right now, the klipsch sounds like half the music is missing in comparison. The bass is bigger sounding on the klipsch but is less defined than the Polk. The Polk is the one you want if you have the little bit of extra money. It doesn’t care what type of music you like, just plays it like the band is there, I noticed that with acoustic tracks when people are talking in the background, it sounds like the people are there in the room. The polks will scale much better when you upgrade your equipment. As I hoooked up different amps the polks changed a ton more than the klipsch. I can’t see anyone picking the klipsch if you heard them next to each other.
Dear Steve, please recommend Denon PMA 600 or bluesound powernode or something else for them. Thank you
What is the right crossover frequenz for the r200? I use a rel t7i subwoofer. 80 hz or higher?
Absolute legend!
They look awesome
I have the entry level T15 bookshelf speakers and they sound pretty good for what they are. They do have some bass output. Not much but you can hear it just a little depending on the frequency. The highs were ok. The tweeter was lacking so I put better ones in. Now I can hear the strings in a guitar and violin. I’m just now really learning about sensitivity and frequency responses. It makes a big difference. These Polk audios plays much louder than my older techniques but the techniques have a much deeper bass response but I have to turn my volume up higher to actually hear them play.
I purchased r100 for surround speakers. Is it possible to wallmount? Will it sound good if wallmounted using brackets ?
👍Great review, Steve. On thing though, comments on actual perceived differences between Reserve and Legend “books” since you did note they were very similar in design, but the Legends are typically double in price at msrp. Benefit of two sets of Reserve vs one set of Legends? 👨🏻 The one thing you did make clear is that the Reserve series is a better bang/buck, but what about minor benefits (or drawbacks) sonically for spending twice as much?
Belle & Sebastian is an indiepop band
How can you compare R200 with klipsch rp-600m II?
Thank you for your answer!
What is the Speaker Stand called that he shows in the Thumbnail. I just got my R100 and it seems very hard to find good stands, because they are narrower than most speakers
"Hey there little Billy.... don't touch the speakers.... See that little thing sticking out at the top of them??
The engineers designed them to "Polk" you in the eye if you touch them!!" ;) ;)
I got the r200 today, what reciever should I buy?
How close to is the Polk to the 600m2 I have other klipch stuff not sure if I want to switch everything
“Ribbed for your listening pleasure...” Hahaha
Wonder if the Polk Reserve center channel would sound good with Klipsch RP 600M because its more refined and dialogue would be clearer?
Nice video!
But I have a question, where can I get those white diffusers you have in the background?
I've seen similar but those you have looks really cool.
GIK Acoustics
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Big thanks for the reply. 😀👍
"...ribbed for your listening pleasure." Naughty Steve. But I love it.
Great video. I wish you would have compared these speakers to the KEF LS50 Meta. Any ideas how they'd stack up?
Difficult to Keep Up !! The impression that HiFi equipment is always getting better ! Thanx!! Bill the French Staten Islander « Safe European Home «
03.42...Hahaa, Lachaim!!!🤪 Would like to try the R100/R200.. Now i use Triangle Borea 3 speakers, connected with Bluesound Node 2i (wired connected with the modem)and Aiyima D03 mini amplifier..sounds surprisingly good/full.. I didn't expect it either..certainly not for that price (€150,-). .Okay..i'm living in a small "apartment" (25m2) with high ceiling, in Ams. Maybe that's why..
Later on, i want to try the SMSL AL-200..
Pff..what a bullshit about "made in China" that makes lots of consumer hifi/cameras/kitchen equipment/electric tools(like Milwaukee,Dewalt,Makita,etc) more affordable..
And probably more profitable for the brand..
Lower salary-and environment-costs..as compared to Europe/USA/Canada/Australia/Japan..
Yeahh..we all want "the best possible quality, but for the cheapest possible price....'"
Curious, how would you guess it (R200) might compare to the Elac unifi 2.0 UB52?
Think cheap audio man compared both and said get the polks
Depends on room, stands, listening preferences, music, etc. You have to listen yourself or find someone with the same tastes to know.
The R200s and a sub or R600 floor standers?
Please refrain from ribbing Steve..😆
Steve, I searched your channel for reviews or even conventional audiophile wisdom on speaker stands. How important are they? What to avoid? Would a quality speaker + quality stand combo possibly be nearly as expensive as a quality stand-up speaker?
Quality stands are important, I like Target Audio and Sound Anchors.
any comparison with e.g. KEF Q350, Elac?
How much would they be if they were made in the U.S.?
I hate how so many speaker makers make these hard to drive speakers... Not only do you need higher end amps but these 4 ohm speakers push all amps harder.
I’ve got the denon 600 ne, which I absolutely love, and I’m looking for an upgrade speaker from some cheapo 3-way technics speakers. I need a pair that sound good with basically any genre on vinyl / BT from low volumes to party level loud. My room is about 14 x 20 ft and I keep circling second hand ls50s, would this be a safe bet?
I’ve got the Denon PMA 600ne and have used the Klipsch R51m, the Sony CSS5 and now have the KEF q150s. The KEFs are amazing with this amp and believe it or not the cheap Sonys seemed to outperform the Klipsch.
Yup. No replacement for displacement.
I really struggle with this fashion of (sometime very expensive) small speakers mounted on huge stands...which means the space below the speaker is lost cabinet space, leading to not enough bass without a subwofer. Many of them are taking almost as much living room real estate than my Wilson Audio Sophia Serie 1, even more so if one take into account the subwoofer(s) which my Sophia really do NOT need ! What are your thoughs on this.
Last I just received delivery Today of a Moon 390 streamer/dac/preamp - any view on this gear ?
I quite like your channel and you do well to insist on room acoustic/placement as most people do not spend enough time (and money) on what can bring very big improvements
Sometimes roomsize does not allow for tall floorstanders. Mostly because of excessive bass output or weight, taste, etc..
Bookshelfs are usually better in projecting a large and spatious soundstage, but often lack full bass or body. Although floorspeakers produce sometimes (not often) sub-bass, a powered subwoofer almost always outperforms it on every account, like extension, speed, etc. Bass is hard to get right in a speaker and subs, like SVS, use DSP equalizers to compensate for roommodes or bumps, etc. Your amp doesn't have to struggle with bass loads, low Ohm figures, etc.
To get that right in a floorspeaker, you often pay a lot more, but sounds less good in general.
Hi Steve good afternoon, these or the ls50 meta? I listen to moderate level 65db @ 2 meters away in a room that is 12 ft long, 10 ft wide, and 9 ft high. I am running 1 sb4000 subwoofer right now paired with svs ultra bookshelf with parasound halo integrated.
Thank you
Meta, absolutely!!
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac thank you sir! I added some more details of what I use currently.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Meta or R3? R3 or JBL HDI 1600?
Polk R200 not an easy speaker to drive at Sensitivity 86db amp will get pretty warm
So does that dollup of solder piercered through the soft dome actually do anything to improve sound?
It’s called a phase plug and it helps alleviate phase cancellation issues .
For a better explanation search the terms I used above, it’s interesting if you are into diy speaker design, maybe less so if you are not.
I hope that helps.
Cheers
Is the L200 worth the price difference from the R200?
That question remained open in this review. I did not even understand which one is better (prices aside). In general I have a problem with value-for-money relativization of everything said about HiFi gear. Make no mistake, I love his record recommendations and admire his knowlege and overall experience, but I fundametally disagree with price-related relativization of everything said.
I agree with your comments...I own the L200's btw and I think they're great. The R200's benefit from a lot of the trickle down technology for about half the retailI guess it's common in the audio biz to market products this way.
cheaper version of KEF?
What's the term that denotes broad, off axis (outside of the box) listening ? "Can i hear the far speaker, out side of the near speaker?" I'm looking for that, but maybe i'm missing if it's addressed. Thanks
you said off axis. thats it vertical and horizontal. the drivers are spaced too far apary in height imo for good vertical response.
@@veroman007 horizontal axis, Thanks
What was that CD? Can't find it in the transcript.
Aaahhh...Polks are good!
What a cool shirt!