In this review, we will be comparing AE320 and R700, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Acoustic Energy and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE320 and Polk R700 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | AE320 | Polk R700 |
|---|
| Brand | Acoustic Energy
United Kingdom · founded 1987 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" dome with waveguide | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.2" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich | 2 x 8" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35Hz - 30kHz | 38-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 200 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.00kg / 57.2lbs | 35.90kg / 79lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39.4" x 6.9" x 10.2"
1000.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm | 45" x 12.6" x 16.9"
1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm |
|---|
What size room are the AE320 and Polk R700 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* |
AE320 |
Polk R700 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both AE320 and R700 are 3-way speakers.
AE320Polk R700
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
AE320 |
Polk R700 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.2-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.2-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
AE320 features a 1.1" aluminium dome with waveguide Tweeter, a 5.2" Midrange and 2 x 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz and 3400Hz. On the other hand, the R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
AE320 has a frequency range of 35Hz - 30kHz whereas R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the AE320 can go slightly deeper then the R700's min frequency of 38Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
AE320 and R700 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. AE320 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the R700's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the AE320 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R700, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
R700 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas AE320 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the R700.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
AE320 has a rear firing port whereas R700 has a bottom firing ports. Polk R700's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to AE320 with its rear-firing port.
Polk R700 Port
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare AE320's and Polk R700's external dimensions. AE320 has external dimensions of 1000.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm (39.4 x 6.9 x 10.2inch) whereas Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm (45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch).
Polk R700 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 145.7mm wider, 143.8mm taller and 168.3mm deeper than AE320.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Polk R700 needs about 202% more floor or shelf area. Polk R700 is 168mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Polk R700 is 144mm taller.
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 AE320 is approximately 455.0cm2 / 70.5inch2 and base area of the Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2. The AE320 requires 67% less surface area than the R700 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 AE320 weighs 26.00kg / 57.2lbs and the Polk R700 weighs 35.90kg / 79lbs. This makes the R700 38% heavier than the AE320.
Here is a comparison of how AE320 and R700's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk R700?
Here are the items that come with the R700:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
- Grille
- Hex-key
- Owner's Manual
- Online Registration
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1000mm
vs
1143mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
455cm2
vs
1373cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.2 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
2198USD
vs
2699USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE320 |
Polk Audio Reserve R700 |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 200 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35Hz - 30kHz |
38-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.2" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
ceramic aluminium sandwich |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with waveguide |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.2" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
380Hz and 3400Hz |
350Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1000.0mm (39.4") |
1143.8mm (45") |
| Width |
175.0mm (6.9") |
320.7mm (12.6") |
| Depth |
260.0mm (10.2") |
428.3mm (16.9") |
| Weight |
26.00kg (57.2lbs) |
35.90kg (79lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
high density MDF |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Piano Gloss White, Piano Gloss Black, Real Walnut wood veneer |
Black, Walnut, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A generation apart: Polk R700 is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | AE320 digs deeper - 35Hz against 38Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | AE320 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Polk R700 takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | AE320 is easier to place; Polk R700 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Polk R700: bi-amping. Polk R700 sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Polk R700 is cheaper - $2,198 against $2,699, about 19% less. |
A AE320 B Polk R700
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Match it to your room: we rate AE320 the better fit for a mid-size room, and Polk R700 for a very large room. In a large or open-plan room, Polk R700 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, AE320 is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.