In this review, we will be comparing BP-9020 and R600, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Definitive Technology and Polk Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Definitive BP-9020 and Polk R600 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Definitive BP-9020 and Polk R600 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Definitive BP-9020 and Polk R600 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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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that BP-9020 is a 3-way design whereas the R600 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Driver |
Definitive BP-9020 |
Polk R600 |
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
3 x 3.5-inch |
- |
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
BP-9020 features a 1" annealed aluminum dome Tweeter , a 3.5" Midrange and 1 x 8" Polypropelene Woofer . On the other hand, the R600 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
BP-9020 has a frequency range of 28-40k Hz whereas R600 has a frequency range of 43-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the BP-9020 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R600's min frequency of 43Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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
BP-9020 and R600 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. BP-9020 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the R600's is at 87.5 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Definitive BP-9020 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R600, 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. 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.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
BP-9020 features Post type posts and R600 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Definitive BP-9020's and Polk R600's external dimensions. Definitive BP-9020 has external dimensions of 904.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm ( 35-9/16 x 11-1/16 x 13-13/16inch) whereas Polk R600 has external dimensions of 1063.8 x 280.7 x 381.6mm ( 41.9 x 11 x 15inch) .
Definitive BP-9020 is 159.8mm shorter and 30.6mm less deeper than Polk R600 but it is also 0.30000000000001mm 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 Definitive BP-9020 is approximately 986.3cm2 / 152.9inch2 and base area of the Polk R600 is approximately 1071.2cm2 / 166.0inch2. The BP-9020 requires 8% less surface area than the R600 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 Definitive BP-9020 weighs 13.64kg / 30lbs and the Polk R600 weighs 21.50kg / 47.3lbs. This makes the R600 58% heavier than the BP-9020.
Here is a comparison of how BP-9020 and R600'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 Definitive BP-9020?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of BP-9020:
Tower loudspeaker6.5-feet AC power cordTop-plate (installed)Stabilizer base4 Floor guides4 Carpet spikes4 Screws4 NutsOwners ManualWhat Obsession Sounds Like card
What's in the Box of Polk R600?
Here are the items that come with the R600:
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
Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
43 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
38k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
Height |
904mm
vs
1063mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
986cm2 (281x351mm)
vs
1071cm2 (280x381mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
Price per pair* |
1498USD
vs
1698USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
General |
Definitive Technology BP-9020 |
Polk Audio Reserve R600 |
Brand |
Definitive Technology |
Polk Audio |
Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
Power Range |
50-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
Sensitivity |
92 dB |
87.5 dB |
Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
Impedance |
n/a |
4 ohms |
Frequency Response |
28-40k Hz |
43-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
Woofer Composition |
Polypropelene |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
Tweeter Type |
dome |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
Midrange Driver |
3.5" |
No |
Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2700Hz |
Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
904.0mm (35.6") |
1063.8mm (41.9") |
Width |
281.0mm (11.1") |
280.7mm (11.1") |
Depth |
351.0mm (13.8") |
381.6mm (15") |
Weight |
13.64kg (30lbs) |
21.50kg (47.3lbs) |
Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
Finish |
MDF/Aluminum/Cloth |
MDF/Vinyl |
Available Colors |
Black |
Black, Walnut, White |
Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |