In this review, we will be comparing Chora 826 and S60, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and Polk Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Chora 826 and Polk S60 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Focal Chora 826 and Polk S60 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 Focal Chora 826 and Polk S60 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Chora 826 is a 3-way design whereas the S60 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 |
Focal Chora 826 |
Polk S60 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
Chora 826 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270Hz and 2700Hz. On the other hand, the S60 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 3 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Chora 826 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz whereas S60 has a frequency range of 26-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the S60 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Chora 826's min frequency of 48Hz.
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
Chora 826 and S60 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Chora 826 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the S60's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Chora 826 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk S60, 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.
Chora 826 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Chora 826 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the S60.
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
S60 features 5-way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Chora 826 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Chora 826's Binding post terminals
Polk S60's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Chora 826 has a front firing port whereas S60 has a bottom firing ports. Focal Chora 826's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Polk S60 with its rear-firing port.
Polk S60 Port
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 Focal Chora 826's and Polk S60's external dimensions. Focal Chora 826 has external dimensions of 1053.0 x 305.0 x 404.0mm ( 41-1/2 x 12 x 15-7/8inch) whereas Polk S60 has external dimensions of 1131.0 x 299.0 x 401.0mm ( 44-1/2 x 11-3/4 x 15-3/4inch) .
Polk S60 is 6mm narrower and 3mm less deeper than Focal Chora 826 but it is also 78mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Focal Chora 826 and Polk S60 in scale.
Comparison image of Focal Chora 826 and Polk S60 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 Focal Chora 826 is approximately 1232.2cm2 / 191.0inch2 and base area of the Polk S60 is approximately 1199.0cm2 / 185.8inch2. The Chora 826 requires 3% more surface area than the S60 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 Focal Chora 826 weighs 21.15kg / 46.5lbs and the Polk S60 weighs 23.60kg / 51.9lbs. This makes the S60 12% heavier than the Chora 826.
Here is a comparison of how Chora 826 and S60'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 Focal Chora 826?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Chora 826:
Floorstanding loudspeakerBase4 Rubber feet4 Spike feet4 Nuts4 Screws4 WashersHex-keyGrilleUser manual
What's in the Box of Polk S60?
Here are the items that come with the S60:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Feet (pre-installed)Owners ManualOnline Product Registration
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
1053mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Base Surface Area |
1199cm2 (299x401mm)
vs
1232cm2 (305x404mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
898USD
vs
2398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Chora 826 |
Polk Audio Signature S60 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-250 watts |
20-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.9 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
48-28k Hz |
26-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Slatefiber |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
270Hz and 2700Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1053.0mm (41.5") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
305.0mm (12") |
299.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
404.0mm (15.9") |
401.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
21.15kg (46.5lbs) |
23.60kg (51.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl-wrap |
Meddite MDF |
| Available Colors |
Black, Dark wood, Light wood |
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 |