In this review, we will be comparing AE107 MII and ES30, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Acoustic Energy and Polk Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE107 Mark II and Polk ES30 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
AE107 Mark II Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" soft dome with waveguide Tweeter
- 2 x 5.2" paper cone Woofer
- 55Hz - 26kHz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:up to 175watts
- Weight:4.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 175.0" x 15" x 9.8"( 175.0 x 380.0 x 250.0mm )
Polk ES30 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" High-res dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5.5" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance Woofer
- 55-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-125watts
- Weight:8.64kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 191.0" x 20-1/16" x 10-5/8"( 191.0 x 510.0 x 270.0mm )
What size room are the AE107 Mark II and Polk ES30 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
AE107 Mark II |
Polk ES30 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2, Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: > 400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening position, speaker locations, etc.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the AE107 Mark II and Polk ES30 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both AE107 MII and ES30 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
AE107 Mark II |
Polk ES30 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.2-inch
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
AE107 MII features a 1" fabric soft dome with waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 5.2" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz. On the other hand, the ES30 features a 1" Terylene High-res dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance Woofer .
Frequency Response
AE107 MII has a frequency range of 55Hz - 26kHz whereas ES30 has a frequency range of 55-40k Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
AE107 MII is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the ES30 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AE107 MII sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the ES30's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the AE107 Mark II a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES30, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
AE107 MII can handle a max power of 175 watts RMS from the amp the whereas ES30 has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the AE107 MII.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both AE107 MII and ES30 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Polk ES30 Port
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare AE107 Mark II's and Polk ES30's external dimensions. AE107 Mark II has external dimensions of 175.0 x 380.0 x 250.0mm ( 6.9 x 15 x 9.8inch) whereas Polk ES30 has external dimensions of 191.0 x 510.0 x 270.0mm ( 7-1/2 x 20-1/16 x 10-5/8inch) .
Polk ES30 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 130mm wider, 16mm taller and 20mm deeper than AE107 Mark II.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the AE107 Mark II is approximately 950.0cm2 / 147.3inch2 and base area of the Polk ES30 is approximately 1377.0cm2 / 213.4inch2. The AE107 MII requires 31% less surface area than the ES30 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The AE107 Mark II weighs 4.60kg / 10.1lbs and the Polk ES30 weighs 8.64kg / 19lbs. This makes the ES30 88% heavier than the AE107 MII.
Here is a comparison of how AE107 MII and ES30's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk ES30?
Here are the items that come with the ES30:
Center-channel loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Self-adhesive rubber feetOwners ManualOnline Product Registration