In this review, we will be comparing XT70 and XT60, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk XT70 and Polk XT60 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk XT70 | Polk XT60 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | 1" dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper | 6.5" Bi-laminate paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-40k Hz | 38-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.91kg / 35lbs | 9.09kg / 20lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-9/16" x 10-13/16" x 13-3/8"
1031.0 x 275.0 x 340.0mm | 36-9/16" x 9-1/16" x 9-15/16"
929.0 x 231.0 x 253.0mm |
|---|
XT70 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 XT70 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 XT70 |
Polk XT60 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
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.
Drivers
Both XT70 and XT60 are 2-way speakers.
Polk XT70Polk 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 XT70 |
Polk XT60 |
|
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 XT60 features a 1" Terylene dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
XT70 has a frequency range of 35-40k Hz whereas XT60 has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the XT70 can go slightly deeper then the XT60's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
XT70 and XT60 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 86 dB.
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.
XT70 and XT60 have the same power range of 25-200 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
XT70 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 XT70's and Polk XT60'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 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 XT70 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 44mm wider, 102mm taller and 87mm deeper than Polk XT60.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk XT70 and Polk XT60 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk XT70 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 XT70 is approximately 935.0cm2 / 144.9inch2 and base area of the Polk XT60 is approximately 584.4cm2 / 90.6inch2. The XT70 requires 60% more surface area than the XT60 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 XT70 weighs 15.91kg / 35lbs and the Polk XT60 weighs 9.09kg / 20lbs. This makes the XT70 75% heavier than the XT60.
Here is a comparison of how XT70 and XT60'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 XT70?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of XT70:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 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
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
929mm
vs
1031mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
584cm2
vs
935cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
498USD
vs
698USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio Monitor XT70 |
Polk Audio Monitor XT60 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-40k Hz |
38-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Bi-laminate paper |
Bi-laminate paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1031.0mm (40.6") |
929.0mm (36.6") |
| Width |
275.0mm (10.8") |
231.0mm (9.1") |
| Depth |
340.0mm (13.4") |
253.0mm (10") |
| Weight |
15.91kg (35lbs) |
9.09kg (20lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF, Vinyl |
MDF, Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Polk Audio's Monitor XT series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Polk XT70 digs deeper - 35Hz against 38Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Polk XT60 is easier to place; Polk XT70 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Polk XT70: Atmos drivers; Polk XT60: Atmos drivers. |
| Price | B | Polk XT60 is cheaper - $498 against $698, about 29% less. |
A Polk XT70 B Polk XT60
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 XT70 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 40% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Polk XT60 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Polk XT70 appeals to you. In a large or open-plan room, Polk XT70 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Polk XT60 is the easier speaker to get right. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $200 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.