In this review, we will be comparing Spektor 6 and S50, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from DALI and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Spektor 6 and Polk S50 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Spektor 6 | Polk S50 |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Wood Fiber | 2 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 43-26k Hz | 33-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88.5 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | 20-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.80kg / 30.4lbs | 14.50kg / 31.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38.3" x 7.7" x 12.3"
972.0 x 195.0 x 313.0mm | 37-7/16" x 10-5/16" x 11-1/16"
951.0 x 262.0 x 281.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the DALI Spektor 6 and Polk S50 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* |
DALI Spektor 6 |
Polk S50 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Spektor 6 and S50 are 2-way speakers.
DALI Spektor 6Polk S50
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
DALI Spektor 6 |
Polk S50 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Spektor 6 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the S50 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Spektor 6 has a frequency range of 43-26k Hz whereas S50 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the S50 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Spektor 6's min frequency of 43Hz.
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
Spektor 6 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the S50 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Spektor 6 sensitivity is rated at 88.5 dB and the S50's is rated at 89 dB.
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.
Both handle the same maximum of 150 watts RMS, though Spektor 6 is rated 30-150 watts and S50 20-150 watts.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
S50 features 5-way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Spektor 6 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk S50's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Spektor 6 has a rear firing port whereas S50 has a bottom firing ports. Polk S50's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to DALI Spektor 6 with its rear-firing port.
Polk S50 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 DALI Spektor 6's and Polk S50's external dimensions. DALI Spektor 6 has external dimensions of 972.0 x 195.0 x 313.0mm (38.3 x 7.7 x 12.3inch) whereas Polk S50 has external dimensions of 951.0 x 262.0 x 281.0mm (37-7/16 x 10-5/16 x 11-1/16inch).
Polk S50 is 21mm shorter and 32mm less deeper than DALI Spektor 6 but it is also 67mm wider.
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 DALI Spektor 6 is approximately 610.4cm2 / 94.6inch2 and base area of the Polk S50 is approximately 736.2cm2 / 114.1inch2. The Spektor 6 requires 17% less surface area than the S50 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 DALI Spektor 6 weighs 13.80kg / 30.4lbs and the Polk S50 weighs 14.50kg / 31.9lbs. This makes the S50 5% heavier than the Spektor 6.
Here is a comparison of how Spektor 6 and S50'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 DALI Spektor 6?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Spektor 6:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Rubber Feet
- 4 Spike-feet
- Manual
What's in the Box of Polk S50?
Here are the items that come with the S50:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Feet (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Base Surface Area |
610cm2
vs
736cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
43 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
951mm
vs
972mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
DALI Spektor 6 |
Polk Audio Signature S50 |
| Brand |
DALI |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
20-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88.5 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
43-26k Hz |
33-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Wood Fiber |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
972.0mm (38.3") |
951.0mm (37.4") |
| Width |
195.0mm (7.7") |
262.0mm (10.3") |
| Depth |
313.0mm (12.3") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
13.80kg (30.4lbs) |
14.50kg (31.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
Meddite MDF |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash, Walnut, White |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Polk S50 digs deeper - 33Hz against 43Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Polk S50 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Polk S50: bi-amping. |
A DALI Spektor 6 B Polk S50
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?
Polk S50 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 43Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead.
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.