In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Monitor XT15 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the XT60 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk XT15 and Polk XT60 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk XT15 | Polk XT60 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Bi-laminate paper | 6.5" Bi-laminate paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-40k Hz | 38-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.09kg / 9lbs | 9.09kg / 20lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10-5/8" x 6-9/16" x 7-3/16"
270.0 x 167.0 x 183.0mm | 36-9/16" x 9-1/16" x 9-15/16"
929.0 x 231.0 x 253.0mm |
|---|
XT15 and XT60 are members of Polk Audio's Monitor XT series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the Polk XT15 and Polk XT60 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 XT15 |
Polk XT60 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| 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.
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Drivers
Both XT15 and XT60 are 2-way speakers.
Polk XT15Polk XT60
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Polk XT15 |
Polk XT60 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
XT15 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Bi-laminate paper Woofer. On the other hand, the XT60 features a 1" Terylene dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
XT15 has a frequency range of 48-40k Hz whereas XT60 has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the XT60 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the XT15's min frequency of 48Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
XT15 and XT60 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 86 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
XT60 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas XT15 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the XT60.
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
XT15 features 5-Way post type posts and XT60 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 XT15's and Polk XT60's external dimensions. Polk XT15 has external dimensions of 270.0 x 167.0 x 183.0mm (10-5/8 x 6-9/16 x 7-3/16inch) whereas Polk XT60 has external dimensions of 929.0 x 231.0 x 253.0mm (36-9/16 x 9-1/16 x 9-15/16inch).
Polk XT60 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 64mm wider, 659mm taller and 70mm deeper than Polk XT15.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk XT15 and Polk XT60 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk XT15 and Polk XT60 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 XT15 is approximately 305.6cm2 / 47.4inch2 and base area of the Polk XT60 is approximately 584.4cm2 / 90.6inch2. The XT15 requires 48% less surface area than the XT60 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Polk XT15?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of XT15:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (attached)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
What's in the Box of Polk XT60?
Here are the items that come with the XT60:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration