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.
| Key Specs | Polk L800 | Polk L600 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 5.25" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 10" Polypropylene | 2 x 7" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-38k Hz | 34-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-300 watts | 30-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 68.50kg / 150.7lbs | 35.30kg / 77.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 48-5/8" x 18" x 17-7/16"
1236.0 x 458.0 x 443.0mm | 46-1/2" x 13" x 16-3/4"
1182.0 x 331.0 x 426.0mm |
|---|
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:
| Listening Environment* |
Polk L800 |
Polk L600 |
| 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 L800 and L600 are 3-way speakers.
Polk L800Polk L600
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 |
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.
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 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. 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 L800 is rated 25-300 watts and L600 30-300 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 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
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 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 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 Polk L600?
Here are the items that come with the 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
 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
vs
2028cm2
|
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 |
Siblings in Polk Audio's Legend L series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (32Hz vs 34Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | Polk L600 is easier to place; Polk L800 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Polk L800: bi-amping and Atmos drivers; Polk L600: bi-amping and Atmos drivers. |
| Price | B | Polk L600 is cheaper - $3,498 against $5,998, about 42% less; arguably a different class. |
A Polk L800 B Polk L600
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. In a large or open-plan room, Polk L800 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Polk L600 is the easier speaker to get right. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $2,500 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.