In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Monitor XT35 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the XT20 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk XT35 and Polk XT20 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk XT35 | Polk XT20 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" High-res dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 3" bi-laminate paper cone | 6.5" Bi-laminate paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 57-40k Hz | 38-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.36kg / 14lbs | 5.45kg / 12lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 4-3/16" x 24-7/16" x 5-9/16"
107.0 x 621.0 x 142.0mm | 13-1/16" x 7-9/16" x 11-1/16"
332.0 x 193.0 x 281.0mm |
|---|
Monitor XT35 and XT20 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 XT35 and Polk XT20 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 XT35 |
Polk XT20 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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.
Drivers
Both Monitor XT35 and XT20 are 2-way speakers.
Polk XT35Polk XT20
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 XT35 |
Polk XT20 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 3-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Monitor XT35 features a 1" Terylene High-res dome Tweeter and 4 x 3" bi-laminate paper cone Woofer. On the other hand, the XT20 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
Monitor XT35 has a frequency range of 57-40k Hz whereas XT20 has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the XT20 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Monitor XT35's min frequency of 57Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
Monitor XT35 and XT20 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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 200 watts RMS, though Monitor XT35 is rated 25-200 watts and XT20 30-200 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
Monitor XT35 features 5-Way post type posts and XT20 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk XT35's 5-Way post terminals
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 XT35's and Polk XT20's external dimensions. Polk XT35 has external dimensions of 107.0 x 621.0 x 142.0mm (4-3/16 x 24-7/16 x 5-9/16inch) whereas Polk XT20 has external dimensions of 332.0 x 193.0 x 281.0mm (13-1/16 x 7-9/16 x 11-1/16inch).
Polk XT35 is 225mm shorter and 139mm less deeper than Polk XT20 but it is also 428mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk XT35 and Polk XT20 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk XT35 and Polk XT20 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 XT35 is approximately 881.8cm2 / 136.7inch2 and base area of the Polk XT20 is approximately 542.3cm2 / 84.1inch2. The Monitor XT35 requires 63% more surface area than the XT20 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Polk XT35?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Monitor XT35:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
- Wall-Mount Template
What's in the Box of Polk XT20?
Here are the items that come with the XT20:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (attached)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration