In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Reserve R100 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the R500 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R100 and Polk R500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk R100 | Polk R500 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone | 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-39k Hz | 49-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.55kg / 12.2lbs | 17.70kg / 38.9lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 41.1" x 10.1" x 13.7"
1044.5 x 255.4 x 348.8mm |
|---|
R100 and R500 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 R500 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 R500 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
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 R100 and R500 are 2-way speakers.
Polk R100Polk R500
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 R500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.25-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 R500 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
R100 has a frequency range of 58-39k Hz whereas R500 has a frequency range of 49-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 49Hz, the R500 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
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 R500 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R100 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the R500's is at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk R500 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R100, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
R500 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 R500.
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 Post type posts and R500 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R100's Binding post terminals
Polk R500's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R100 and R500 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 R500'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 R500 has external dimensions of 1044.5 x 255.4 x 348.8mm (41.1 x 10.1 x 13.7inch).
Polk R500 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 88.4mm wider, 718.5mm taller and 89.8mm deeper than Polk R100.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R100 and Polk R500 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R100 and Polk R500 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 R500 is approximately 890.8cm2 / 138.1inch2. The R100 requires 51% less surface area than the R500 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 R500?
Here are the items that come with the R500:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
- Grille
- Hex-key
- Owner's Manual
- Online Registration