In this review, we will be comparing Story and ES30, two Passive Center Channel speakers from KLH and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Story and Polk ES30 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KLH Story | Polk ES30 |
|---|
| Brand | KLH
United States · founded 1957 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" High-res dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" woven Kevlar | 2 x 5.5" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-23k Hz | 55-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 150 watts | 20-125 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.27kg / 16lbs | 8.64kg / 19lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-1/8" x 19-1/8" x 9-7/8"
181.0 x 486.0 x 251.0mm | 7-1/2" x 20-1/16" x 10-5/8"
191.0 x 510.0 x 270.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KLH Story and Polk ES30 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* |
KLH Story |
Polk ES30 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
Both Story and ES30 are 2-way speakers.
KLH StoryPolk ES30
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KLH Story |
Polk ES30 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
Story features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" woven Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the ES30 features a 1" Terylene High-res dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance Woofer.
Frequency Response
Story has a frequency range of 48-23k Hz whereas ES30 has a frequency range of 55-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Story can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ES30's min frequency of 55Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
Story and ES30 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Story sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the ES30's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the KLH Story a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES30, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
Story can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas ES30 has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Story.
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
Story features 5-Way post type posts and ES30 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk ES30's 5-Way post terminals
Polk ES30 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 KLH Story's and Polk ES30's external dimensions. KLH Story has external dimensions of 181.0 x 486.0 x 251.0mm (7-1/8 x 19-1/8 x 9-7/8inch) whereas Polk ES30 has external dimensions of 191.0 x 510.0 x 270.0mm (7-1/2 x 20-1/16 x 10-5/8inch).
Polk ES30 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 24mm wider, 10mm taller and 19mm deeper than KLH Story.
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 KLH Story is approximately 1219.9cm2 / 189.1inch2 and base area of the Polk ES30 is approximately 1377.0cm2 / 213.4inch2. The Story requires 11% less surface area than the ES30 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 KLH Story weighs 7.27kg / 16lbs and the Polk ES30 weighs 8.64kg / 19lbs. This makes the ES30 19% heavier than the Story.
Here is a comparison of how Story and ES30's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of KLH Story?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Story:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Foam ports
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Manual
What's in the Box of Polk ES30?
Here are the items that come with the ES30:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
125 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
181mm
vs
191mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1219cm2
vs
1377cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
|
Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
480USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KLH Story |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES30 |
| Brand |
KLH |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 150 watts |
20-125 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-23k Hz |
55-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven Kevlar |
mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
High-res dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
181.0mm (7.1") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Width |
486.0mm (19.1") |
510.0mm (20.1") |
| Depth |
251.0mm (9.9") |
270.0mm (10.6") |
| Weight |
7.27kg (16lbs) |
8.64kg (19lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF, Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Black, Walnut, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - KLH Story costs roughly 1.6x what Polk ES30 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | KLH Story digs deeper - 48Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | KLH Story is more sensitive (91dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 125W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | B | Polk ES30 is cheaper - $299 against $480, about 38% less; arguably a different class. |
A KLH Story B Polk ES30
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: KLH Story measures better, Polk ES30 costs about about 61% 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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Polk ES30 much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KLH Story 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.