In this review, we will be comparing L600 and R11, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk L600 and KEF R11 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk L600 | KEF R11 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" Polypropylene | 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 34-38k Hz | 46-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-300 watts | 15-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 35.30kg / 77.7lbs | 37.70kg / 82.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 46-1/2" x 13" x 16-3/4"
1182.0 x 331.0 x 426.0mm | 51-3/16" x 12-1/4" x 15-5/16"
1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk L600 and KEF R11 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* |
Polk L600 |
KEF R11 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 L600 and R11 are 3-way speakers.
Polk L600KEF R11
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Polk L600 |
KEF R11 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
L600 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 7" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 410Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the R11 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
L600 has a frequency range of 34-38k Hz whereas R11 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the L600 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R11's min frequency of 46Hz.
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
L600 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the R11 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the L600 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. L600 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the R11's is rated at 90 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the KEF R11 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk L600, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 300 watts RMS, though L600 is rated 30-300 watts and R11 15-300 watts.
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 L600 and R11 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Polk L600's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KEF R11's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
L600 has a down firing port whereas R11 has a rear firing ports.
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 Polk L600's and KEF R11's external dimensions. Polk L600 has external dimensions of 1182.0 x 331.0 x 426.0mm (46-1/2 x 13 x 16-3/4inch) whereas KEF R11 has external dimensions of 1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm (51-3/16 x 12-1/4 x 15-5/16inch).
KEF R11 is 19mm narrower and 37mm less deeper than Polk L600 but it is also 119mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk L600 and KEF R11 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk L600 and KEF R11 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 Polk L600 is approximately 1410.1cm2 / 218.6inch2 and base area of the KEF R11 is approximately 1213.7cm2 / 188.1inch2. The L600 requires 16% more surface area than the R11 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 Polk L600 weighs 35.30kg / 77.7lbs and the KEF R11 weighs 37.70kg / 82.9lbs. This makes the R11 7% heavier than the L600.
Here is a comparison of how L600 and R11'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 L600?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L600:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Large grille
- Small grille
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
- 2 Jumper-wires (pre-installed)
- Cleaning cloth
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
What's in the Box of KEF R11?
Here are the items that come with the R11:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Wrench
- Hex-key
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
 Minimum Impedance |
3.3 ohms
vs
3.2 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional L900 Height Module Speaker
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1182mm
vs
1301mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
3498USD
vs
6000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Base Surface Area |
1213cm2
vs
1410cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Polk Audio Legend L600 |
KEF R11 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-300 watts |
15-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.3 ohms |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
34-38k Hz |
46-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Hybrid Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
410Hz and 2900Hz |
400Hz and 2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
down |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1182.0mm (46.5") |
1301.0mm (51.2") |
| Width |
331.0mm (13") |
312.0mm (12.3") |
| Depth |
426.0mm (16.8") |
389.0mm (15.3") |
| Weight |
35.30kg (77.7lbs) |
37.70kg (82.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Brown Walnut, Black Ash |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - KEF R11 costs roughly 1.7x what Polk L600 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 | Polk L600 digs deeper - 34Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KEF R11 is more sensitive (90dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | KEF R11 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | Polk L600: bi-amping and Atmos drivers; KEF R11: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Polk L600 is cheaper - $3,498 against $6,000, about 42% less; arguably a different class. |
A Polk L600 B KEF R11
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 46Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KEF R11 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.