In this review, we will be comparing L800 and R-610F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk L800 and Klipsch R-610F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk L800 | Klipsch R-610F |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | 1.0" |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 10" Polypropylene | 6.5" Copper-spun IMG |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-38k Hz | 45-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-300 watts | up to 85 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 68.50kg / 150.7lbs | 16.36kg / 36lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 48-5/8" x 18" x 17-7/16"
1236.0 x 458.0 x 443.0mm | 37-1/16" x 9-3/8" x 14-1/2"
942.0 x 239.0 x 369.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk L800 and Klipsch R-610F 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 L800 |
Klipsch R-610F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Bad |
(* 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 L800 is a 3-way design whereas the R-610F 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.
Polk L800Klipsch R-610F
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 L800 |
Klipsch R-610F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.0-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 10-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
L800 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 10" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 370Hz and 2800Hz. On the other hand, the R-610F features a 1.0" Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Copper-spun IMG Woofer.
Frequency Response
L800 has a frequency range of 32-38k Hz whereas R-610F has a frequency range of 45-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the L800 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R-610F's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
L800 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the R-610F 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 L800 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. L800 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the R-610F's is rated at 94 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-610F a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk L800, 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.
L800 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas R-610F has a max power handling value of 85 watts RMS, 215 watts less than the L800.
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
L800 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R-610F has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk L800's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Klipsch R-610F's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
L800 has a down firing port whereas R-610F 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 L800's and Klipsch R-610F's external dimensions. Polk L800 has external dimensions of 1236.0 x 458.0 x 443.0mm (48-5/8 x 18 x 17-7/16inch) whereas Klipsch R-610F has external dimensions of 942.0 x 239.0 x 369.0mm (37-1/16 x 9-3/8 x 14-1/2inch).
Polk L800 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 219mm wider, 294mm taller and 74mm deeper than Klipsch R-610F.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk L800 and Klipsch R-610F in scale.
Comparison image of Polk L800 and Klipsch R-610F 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 L800 is approximately 2028.9cm2 / 314.5inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-610F is approximately 881.9cm2 / 136.7inch2. The L800 requires 130% more surface area than the R-610F 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 L800 weighs 68.50kg / 150.7lbs and the Klipsch R-610F weighs 16.36kg / 36lbs. This makes the L800 319% heavier than the R-610F.
Here is a comparison of how L800 and R-610F'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 L800?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L800:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Large Grilles
- 2 Small grilles
- Two 15-feet SDA interconnect cables
- 8 Rubber feet
- 8 Spike feet
- 2 Jumper-wires (pre-installed)
- 2 Cleaning cloths
- 2 Hex-keys
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-610F?
Here are the items that come with the R-610F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Feet
- 4 Screws
- Quick Setup Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
- Loudspeaker Feet note
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
85 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional L900 Height Module Speaker
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
942mm
vs
1236mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
881cm2
vs
2028cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
778USD
vs
5998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio Legend L800 |
Klipsch Reference R-610F |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-300 watts |
up to 85 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
32-38k Hz |
45-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Copper-spun IMG |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.0" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
370Hz and 2800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
down |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1236.0mm (48.7") |
942.0mm (37.1") |
| Width |
458.0mm (18") |
239.0mm (9.4") |
| Depth |
443.0mm (17.4") |
369.0mm (14.5") |
| Weight |
68.50kg (150.7lbs) |
16.36kg (36lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Brown Walnut, Black Ash |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Polk L800 costs roughly 7.7x what Klipsch R-610F 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 L800 digs deeper - 32Hz against 45Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch R-610F is more sensitive (94dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch R-610F is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Polk L800 takes more power (300W vs 85W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Klipsch R-610F is easier to place; Polk L800 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Polk L800: bi-amping and Atmos drivers. |
| Price | B | Klipsch R-610F is cheaper - $778 against $5,998, about 87% less; arguably a different class. |
A Polk L800 B Klipsch R-610F
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?
Polk L800 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 7.7x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Klipsch R-610F looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Polk L800 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 45Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Klipsch R-610F much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Polk L800 the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Klipsch R-610F for a small room and a mid-size room.
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.