In this review, we will be comparing R100 and R200 50th Anniversary Edition, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R100 and Polk R200 50th AE first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk R100 | Polk R200 50th AE |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | 1" Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone | 6.5" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-39k Hz | 51-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.55kg / 12.2lbs | 8.80kg / 19.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12-13/16" x 6-9/16" x 10-3/16"
326.0 x 167.0 x 259.0mm | 14-1/16" x 7-9/16" x 13-15/16"
358.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm |
|---|
R100 and R200 50th Anniversary Edition are members of Polk Audio's Reserve series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Polk Audio Reserve Series
History
What size room are the Polk R100 and Polk R200 50th AE 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 R100 |
Polk R200 50th AE |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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 R100 and R200 50th Anniversary Edition are 2-way speakers.
Polk R100Polk R200 50th AE
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 R100 |
Polk R200 50th AE |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
R100 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz. On the other hand, the R200 50th Anniversary Edition features a 1" ring radiator Pinnacle with an integrated waveguide Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
R100 has a frequency range of 58-39k Hz whereas R200 50th Anniversary Edition has a frequency range of 51-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 51Hz, the R200 50th Anniversary Edition can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R100's min frequency of 58Hz.
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
R200 50th Anniversary Edition
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
R100 and R200 50th Anniversary Edition have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 86 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
R200 50th Anniversary Edition
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.
R200 50th Anniversary Edition can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas R100 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the R200 50th Anniversary Edition.
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
R100 features Binding post type posts and R200 50th Anniversary Edition has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R100's Binding post terminals
Polk R200 50th AE's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R100 and R200 50th Anniversary Edition 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 R100 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 R100's and Polk R200 50th AE's external dimensions. Polk R100 has external dimensions of 326.0 x 167.0 x 259.0mm (12-13/16 x 6-9/16 x 10-3/16inch) whereas Polk R200 50th AE has external dimensions of 358.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm (24-28inch x 7-9/16inch x 13-15/16inch).
Polk R200 50th AE is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 26mm wider, 32mm taller and 96mm deeper than Polk R100.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R100 and Polk R200 50th AE in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R100 and Polk R200 50th AE 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 R100 is approximately 432.5cm2 / 67.0inch2 and base area of the Polk R200 50th AE is approximately 685.2cm2 / 106.2inch2. The R100 requires 37% less surface area than the R200 50th Anniversary Edition which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Polk R100 and Polk R200 50th AE on a Media Console
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 R100 weighs 5.55kg / 12.2lbs and the Polk R200 50th AE weighs 8.80kg / 19.4lbs. This makes the R200 50th Anniversary Edition 59% heavier than the R100.
Here is a comparison of how R100 and R200 50th Anniversary Edition's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk R100?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R100:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
What's in the Box of Polk R200 50th AE?
Here are the items that come with the R200 50th Anniversary Edition:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
- Certificate Of Aunthenticity
 High Frequency Response |
39k Hz
vs
38k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
326mm
vs
358mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
432cm2
vs
685cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
649USD
vs
1249USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.8 ohms
vs
3.6 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
51 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Polk Audio Reserve R100 |
Polk Audio Reserve R200 50th Anniversary Edition |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
3.8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
58-39k Hz |
51-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2700Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
326.0mm (12.8") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Width |
167.0mm (6.6") |
193.0mm (7.6") |
| Depth |
259.0mm (10.2") |
355.0mm (14") |
| Weight |
5.55kg (12.2lbs) |
8.80kg (19.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, White |
Cherry |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
24-28" |
| 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 Reserve series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Polk R200 50th AE digs deeper - 51Hz against 58Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Polk R200 50th AE takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Polk R100 is easier to place; Polk R200 50th AE is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | Polk R100 is cheaper - $649 against $1,249, about 48% less; arguably a different class. |
A Polk R100 B Polk R200 50th AE
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?
The usual trade-off: Polk R200 50th AE measures better, Polk R100 costs about about 92% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 58Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Polk R100 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Polk R100 the better fit for a small room, and Polk R200 50th AE for a large room and a very large room.
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.