In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Monitor XT70 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the XT20 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk XT70 and Polk XT20 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk XT70 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" dome Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper Woofer
- 35-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:15.91kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1031.0" x 10-13/16" x 13-3/8"( 1031.0 x 275.0 x 340.0mm )
Polk XT20 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Bi-laminate paper Woofer
- 38-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-200watts
- Weight:5.45kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 332.0" x 7-9/16" x 11-1/16"( 332.0 x 193.0 x 281.0mm )
XT70 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 XT70 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 XT70 |
Polk XT20 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk XT70 and Polk XT20 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 XT70 and XT20 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk XT70 |
Polk XT20 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
XT70 features a 1" Terylene dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper Woofer . On the other hand, the XT20 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper Woofer .
Frequency Response
XT70 has a frequency range of 35-40k Hz whereas XT20 has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the XT70 can go slightly deeper then the XT20's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
XT70 and XT20 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. XT70 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the XT20's is at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk XT20 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk XT70, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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
XT70 features 5-Way post type posts and XT20 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 XT70's and Polk XT20's external dimensions. Polk XT70 has external dimensions of 1031.0 x 275.0 x 340.0mm ( 40-9/16 x 10-13/16 x 13-3/8inch) 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 XT70 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 82mm wider, 699mm taller and 59mm deeper than Polk XT20.
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 XT70 is approximately 935.0cm2 / 144.9inch2 and base area of the Polk XT20 is approximately 542.3cm2 / 84.1inch2. The XT70 requires 72% more surface area than the XT20 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Polk XT70?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of XT70:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (attached)Owners ManualOnline Product Registration
What's in the Box of Polk XT20?
Here are the items that come with the XT20:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Grilles (attached)8 Self-adhesive rubber feetOwners ManualOnline Product Registration
Number of Woofers 
Passive Radiator 
Dolby Atmos Drivers 
Sensitivity 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair*