In this review, we will be comparing L800 and L600, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk L800 and Polk L600 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
L800 and L600 are members of Polk Audio's Legend L series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the Polk L800 and Polk L600 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 Polk L800 and Polk L600 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
Both L800 and L600 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk L800 |
Polk L600 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 10-inch
|
2 x 7-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 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.
Frequency Response
L800 has a frequency range of 32-38k Hz whereas L600 has a frequency range of 34-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the L800 can go slightly deeper then the L600's min frequency of 34Hz.
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
L800 and L600 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. L800 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the L600's is at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk L800 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk L600, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the L800 and the L800 can provide this impedance level.
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.
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
Both L800 and L600 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Polk L800's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Polk L600's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both L800 and L600 have down firing ports.
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 Polk L800's and Polk L600'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 Polk L600 has external dimensions of 1182.0 x 331.0 x 426.0mm ( 46-1/2 x 13 x 16-3/4inch) .
Polk L800 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 127mm wider, 54mm taller and 17mm deeper than Polk L600.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk L800 and Polk L600 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk L800 and Polk L600 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 Polk L600 is approximately 1410.1cm2 / 218.6inch2. The L800 requires 44% more surface area than the L600 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 Polk L600 weighs 35.30kg / 77.7lbs. This makes the L800 94% heavier than the L600.
Here is a comparison of how L800 and L600'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 loudspeakers2 Large Grilles2 Small grillesTwo 15-feet SDA interconnect cables8 Rubber feet8 Spike feet2 Jumper-wires (pre-installed)2 Cleaning cloths2 Hex-keysOwners ManualOnline Registration
What's in the Box of Polk L600?
Here are the items that come with the L600:
Floorstanding loudspeakerLarge grilleSmall grille4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)4 Spike feet (pre-installed)2 Jumper-wires (pre-installed)Cleaning clothOwners ManualOnline Registration
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.3 ohms
vs
2.8 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Height |
1182mm
vs
1236mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1410cm2 (331x426mm)
vs
2028cm2 (458x443mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3498USD
vs
5998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio Legend L800 |
Polk Audio Legend L600 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-300 watts |
30-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.8 ohms |
3.3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-38k Hz |
34-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
370Hz and 2800Hz |
410Hz and 2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
down |
down |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1236.0mm (48.7") |
1182.0mm (46.5") |
| Width |
458.0mm (18") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Depth |
443.0mm (17.4") |
426.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
68.50kg (150.7lbs) |
35.30kg (77.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Brown Walnut, Black Ash |
Brown Walnut, Black Ash |
| 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 |