In this review, we will be comparing Monitor XT35 and ES35, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk XT35 and Polk ES35 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk XT35 | Polk ES35 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" High-res dome | 1" High-res dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 3" bi-laminate paper cone | 6 x 3" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance |
|---|
| Frequency response | 57-40k Hz | 66-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | 20-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.36kg / 14lbs | 6.36kg / 14lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 4-3/16" x 24-7/16" x 6-1/16"
107.0 x 621.0 x 154.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk XT35 and Polk ES35 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 ES35 |
| 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 ES35 are 2-way speakers.
Polk XT35Polk ES35
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 ES35 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 3-inch
|
6 x 3-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 ES35 features a 1" Terylene High-res dome Tweeter and 6 x 3" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance Woofer.
Frequency Response
Monitor XT35 has a frequency range of 57-40k Hz whereas ES35 has a frequency range of 66-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 57Hz, the Monitor XT35 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ES35's min frequency of 66Hz.
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 ES35 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Monitor XT35 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the ES35's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk ES35 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk XT35, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
Monitor XT35 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas ES35 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Monitor XT35.
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 ES35 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk XT35's 5-Way post terminals
Polk ES35's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Monitor XT35 and ES35 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Polk ES35 Port
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 ES35'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 ES35 has external dimensions of 107.0 x 621.0 x 154.0mm (4-3/16 x 24-7/16 x 6-1/16inch).
Polk XT35 has the same height and width with Polk ES35. On the other hand, with a thickness of 142.0mm, it is 12mm less deeper.
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 ES35 is approximately 956.3cm2 / 148.2inch2. The Monitor XT35 requires 8% less surface area than the ES35 which gives it a small advantage 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 XT35 weighs 6.36kg / 14lbs and the Polk ES35 weighs 6.36kg / 14lbs.
Here is a comparison of how Monitor XT35 and ES35's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
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 ES35?
Here are the items that come with the ES35:
- LCR loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Wall-mount template
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
57 Hz
vs
66 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
881cm2
vs
956cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
399USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
6
vs
4
|
More woofers |
| General |
Polk Audio Monitor XT35 |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES35 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Low-profile center channel speaker |
Low-profile center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
20-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
57-40k Hz |
66-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
6 |
| Woofer Size |
3" |
3" |
| Woofer Composition |
bi-laminate paper cone |
mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
High-res dome |
High-res dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
107.0mm (4.2") |
107.0mm (4.2") |
| Width |
621.0mm (24.4") |
621.0mm (24.4") |
| Depth |
142.0mm (5.6") |
154.0mm (6.1") |
| Weight |
6.36kg (14lbs) |
6.36kg (14lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF, Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black, Walnut, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Both are Polk Audio, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Polk XT35 digs deeper - 57Hz against 66Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Polk ES35 is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Polk XT35 takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Polk ES35 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Polk XT35 is cheaper - $299 against $399, about 25% less. |
A Polk XT35 B Polk ES35
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 XT35 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 66Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Polk ES35 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.