In this review, we will be comparing Emit M30 and R700, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Dynaudio and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Emit M30 and Polk R700 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Dynaudio Emit M30 | Polk R700 |
|---|
| Brand | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.6875" Magnesium Silicate Polymer | 2 x 8" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-23k Hz | 38-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 200 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.18kg / 40lbs | 35.90kg / 79lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 37-13/16" x 8-1/16" x 11-5/8"
961.0 x 205.0 x 296.0mm | 45" x 12.6" x 16.9"
1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm |
|---|
What size room are the Dynaudio Emit M30 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* |
Dynaudio Emit M30 |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Emit M30 is a 2-way design whereas the R700 is a 3-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.
Dynaudio Emit M30Polk 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 |
Dynaudio Emit M30 |
Polk R700 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.6875-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Emit M30 features a 1.1" Tweeter and 2 x 6.6875" Magnesium Silicate Polymer Woofer. 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
Emit M30 has a frequency range of 40-23k Hz whereas R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the R700 can go slightly deeper then the Emit M30's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
Emit M30 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the R700 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Emit M30 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Emit M30 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the R700's is rated at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk R700 a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Emit M30, 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 Emit M30 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
R700 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Emit M30 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Dynaudio Emit M30's Binding post terminals
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 Dynaudio Emit M30's and Polk R700's external dimensions. Dynaudio Emit M30 has external dimensions of 961.0 x 205.0 x 296.0mm (37-13/16 x 8-1/16 x 11-5/8inch) 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 115.7mm wider, 182.8mm taller and 132.3mm deeper than Dynaudio Emit M30.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Dynaudio Emit M30 and Polk R700 in scale.
Comparison image of Dynaudio Emit M30 and Polk R700 Size and External Dimensions
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 Dynaudio Emit M30 is approximately 606.8cm2 / 94.1inch2 and base area of the Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2. The Emit M30 requires 56% 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 Dynaudio Emit M30 weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs and the Polk R700 weighs 35.90kg / 79lbs. This makes the R700 97% heavier than the Emit M30.
Here is a comparison of how Emit M30 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 Dynaudio Emit M30?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Emit M30:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port plug
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Hex nuts
- 4 Protective discs
- Owners Manual
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Extension Card
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
 Height |
961mm
vs
1143mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
606cm2
vs
1373cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2000USD
vs
2198USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.6875 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
Dynaudio Emit M30 |
Polk Audio Reserve R700 |
| Brand |
Dynaudio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 200 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-23k Hz |
38-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.6875" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
350Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
961.0mm (37.8") |
1143.8mm (45") |
| Width |
205.0mm (8.1") |
320.7mm (12.6") |
| Depth |
296.0mm (11.7") |
428.3mm (16.9") |
| Weight |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
35.90kg (79lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black, Walnut, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Polk R700 is the newer design, against a 2015 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (40Hz vs 38Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Polk R700 is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Polk R700 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | Polk R700 takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Dynaudio Emit M30 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 | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,000 vs $2,198 a pair). |
A Dynaudio Emit M30 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?
Polk R700 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate Dynaudio Emit M30 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, Dynaudio Emit M30 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.