In this review, we will be comparing XL8F and ES55, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fluance and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fluance XL8F and Polk ES55 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fluance XL8F | Polk ES55 |
|---|
| Brand | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 6.5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" Polymer treated | 3 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-25k Hz | 34-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 80-160 watts | 40-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.64kg / 47.6lbs | 20.00kg / 44lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-7/8" x 9-1/4" x 13"
1165.0 x 235.0 x 330.0mm | 41-9/16" x 8-1/2" x 12-3/8"
1056.0 x 216.0 x 315.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fluance XL8F and Polk ES55 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* |
Fluance XL8F |
Polk ES55 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that XL8F is a 3-way design whereas the ES55 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.
Fluance XL8FPolk ES55
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Fluance XL8F |
Polk ES55 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
XL8F features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 8" Polymer treated Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 100Hz and 3000Hz. On the other hand, the ES55 features a 1" Terylene High-Res Soft-Dome Tweeter and 3 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
XL8F has a frequency range of 35-25k Hz whereas ES55 has a frequency range of 34-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the ES55 can go slightly deeper then the XL8F's min frequency of 35Hz.
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
XL8F and ES55 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. XL8F sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the ES55's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk ES55 a more sensitive speaker compared to Fluance XL8F, 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.
ES55 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas XL8F has a max power handling value of 160 watts RMS, 40 watts less than the ES55.
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 XL8F and ES55 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
XL8F has a rear firing port whereas ES55 has a bottom firing ports. Polk ES55's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Fluance XL8F with its rear-firing 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 Fluance XL8F's and Polk ES55's external dimensions. Fluance XL8F has external dimensions of 1165.0 x 235.0 x 330.0mm (45-7/8 x 9-1/4 x 13inch) whereas Polk ES55 has external dimensions of 1056.0 x 216.0 x 315.0mm (41-9/16 x 8-1/2 x 12-3/8inch).
Fluance XL8F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 19mm wider, 109mm taller and 15mm deeper than Polk ES55.
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.
Fluance XL8F needs about 14% more floor or shelf area. Fluance XL8F is 15mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fluance XL8F is 109mm 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 Fluance XL8F is approximately 775.5cm2 / 120.2inch2 and base area of the Polk ES55 is approximately 680.4cm2 / 105.5inch2. The XL8F requires 14% more surface area than the ES55 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Fluance XL8F weighs 21.64kg / 47.6lbs and the Polk ES55 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs. This makes the XL8F 8% heavier than the ES55.
Here is a comparison of how XL8F and ES55'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 ES55?
Here are the items that come with the ES55:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Feet (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
898USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
160 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1056mm
vs
1165mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
680cm2
vs
775cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Fluance XL8F |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES55 |
| Brand |
Fluance |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
80-160 watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-25k Hz |
34-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polymer treated |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
100Hz and 3000Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1165.0mm (45.9") |
1056.0mm (41.6") |
| Width |
235.0mm (9.3") |
216.0mm (8.5") |
| Depth |
330.0mm (13") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
21.64kg (47.6lbs) |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF, Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
Lifetime |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
Lifetime |
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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (35Hz vs 34Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Polk ES55 is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Polk ES55 takes more power (200W vs 160W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Polk ES55 is easier to place; Fluance XL8F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Fluance XL8F: bi-amping; Polk ES55: bi-amping. Polk ES55 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Fluance XL8F is cheaper - $600 against $898, about 33% less. |
A Fluance XL8F B Polk ES55
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?
The usual trade-off: Polk ES55 measures better, Fluance XL8F costs about about 50% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. Match it to your room: we rate Fluance XL8F the better fit for a very large room, and Polk ES55 for a mid-size room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Polk ES55 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.