In this review, we will be comparing Carina FS247.4 and R700, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from ELAC and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Carina FS247.4 and Polk R700 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ELAC Carina FS247.4 | Polk R700 |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Aluminum | 2 x 8" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 34-30k Hz | 38-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 16.45kg / 36.2lbs | 35.90kg / 79lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-3/8" x 9-5/16" x 9-7/8"
1102.0 x 237.0 x 251.0mm | 45" x 12.6" x 16.9"
1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm |
|---|
What size room are the ELAC Carina FS247.4 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* |
ELAC Carina FS247.4 |
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 Carina FS247.4 and R700 are 3-way speakers.
ELAC Carina FS247.4Polk 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 |
ELAC Carina FS247.4 |
Polk R700 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Carina FS247.4 features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum 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
Carina FS247.4 has a frequency range of 34-30k Hz whereas R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the Carina FS247.4 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
Carina FS247.4 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the R700 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Carina FS247.4 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the R700's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk R700 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Carina FS247.4, 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 Carina FS247.4 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 180 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
Both Carina FS247.4 and R700 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
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 ELAC Carina FS247.4's and Polk R700's external dimensions. ELAC Carina FS247.4 has external dimensions of 1102.0 x 237.0 x 251.0mm (43-3/8 x 9-5/16 x 9-7/8inch) 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 83.7mm wider, 41.8mm taller and 177.3mm deeper than ELAC Carina FS247.4.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Carina FS247.4 and Polk R700 in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Carina FS247.4 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 ELAC Carina FS247.4 is approximately 594.9cm2 / 92.2inch2 and base area of the Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2. The Carina FS247.4 requires 57% 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 ELAC Carina FS247.4 weighs 16.45kg / 36.2lbs and the Polk R700 weighs 35.90kg / 79lbs. This makes the R700 118% heavier than the Carina FS247.4.
Here is a comparison of how Carina FS247.4 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 ELAC Carina FS247.4?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Carina FS247.4:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 2 Stabilizer-bars
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Isolation pucks
- 4 Screws
- 2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)
- Operating Instructions
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
 Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1102mm
vs
1143mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
594cm2
vs
1373cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
2198USD
vs
3000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ELAC Carina FS247.4 |
Polk Audio Reserve R700 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
34-30k Hz |
38-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
350Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1102.0mm (43.4") |
1143.8mm (45") |
| Width |
237.0mm (9.3") |
320.7mm (12.6") |
| Depth |
251.0mm (9.9") |
428.3mm (16.9") |
| Weight |
16.45kg (36.2lbs) |
35.90kg (79lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Polymer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black, Walnut, White |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 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 | A | ELAC Carina FS247.4 digs deeper - 34Hz against 38Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Polk R700 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | Polk R700 takes more power (300W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | ELAC Carina FS247.4 is easier to place; Polk R700 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | ELAC Carina FS247.4: bi-amping; 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 $3,000, about 27% less. |
A ELAC Carina FS247.4 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 ELAC Carina FS247.4 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, ELAC Carina FS247.4 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.