In this review, we will be comparing Theva No3 and ES60, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and Polk Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Theva No3 and Polk ES60 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Focal Theva No3 and Polk ES60 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 Theva No3 and Polk ES60 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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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Theva No3 is a 3-way design whereas the ES60 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 Theva No3 |
Polk ES60 |
|
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
|
Theva No3 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 270 Hz - 2700 Hz. On the other hand, the ES60 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
Theva No3 has a frequency range of 48-28kHz whereas ES60 has a frequency range of 32-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the ES60 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Theva No3'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
Theva No3 and ES60 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Theva No3 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the ES60's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Theva No3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES60, 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.
Theva No3 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Theva No3 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the ES60.
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
ES60 features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Theva No3 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Theva No3 has a rear firing port whereas ES60 has a bottom firing ports. Polk ES60's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Focal Theva No3 with its rear-firing 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 Theva No3's and Polk ES60's external dimensions. Focal Theva No3 has external dimensions of 991.0 x 213.0 x 388.0mm ( 39 x 83/8 x 151/4) whereas Polk ES60 has external dimensions of 1131.0 x 216.0 x 401.0mm ( 44-1/2 x 8-1/2 x 15-3/4inch) .
Polk ES60 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 3mm wider, 140mm taller and 13mm deeper than Focal Theva No3.
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 Theva No3 is approximately 826.4cm2 / 128.1inch2 and base area of the Polk ES60 is approximately 866.2cm2 / 134.3inch2. The Theva No3 requires 5% less surface area than the ES60 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 Focal Theva No3 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the Polk ES60 weighs 23.60kg / 51.9lbs. This makes the ES60 18% heavier than the Theva No3.
Here is a comparison of how Theva No3 and ES60'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 ES60?
Here are the items that come with the ES60:
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 |
991mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
826cm2 (213x388mm)
vs
866cm2 (216x401mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 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 |
32 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 |
 Price per pair* |
1098USD
vs
2398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Theva No3 |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES60 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-250 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.9 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
48-28kHz |
32-40k 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 |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
270 Hz - 2700 Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
991.0mm (39") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
213.0mm (8.4") |
216.0mm (8.5") |
| Depth |
388.0mm (15.3") |
401.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
23.60kg (51.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF, Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss,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 |