In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Reserve R100 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the R600 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R100 and Polk R600 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk R100 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer
- 58-39k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-150watts
- Weight:5.55kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 326.0" x 6-9/16" x 10-3/16"( 326.0 x 167.0 x 259.0mm )
Polk R600 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer
- 43-38k Hz Frequency Response
- 87.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:21.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1063.8" x 11" x 15"( 1063.8 x 280.7 x 381.6mm )
R100 and R600 are members of Polk Audio's Reserve series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the Polk R100 and Polk R600 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 R600 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk R100 and Polk R600 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 R100 and R600 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk R100 |
Polk R600 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 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 R600 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
R100 has a frequency range of 58-39k Hz whereas R600 has a frequency range of 43-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 43Hz, the R600 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R100's min frequency of 58Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
R100 and R600 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R100 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the R600's is at 87.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk R600 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. 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.
R100 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R100 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the R600.
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
R100 features Post type posts and R600 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R100's Binding post terminals
Polk R600's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
R100 has a rear firing port whereas R600 has a bottom firing ports. Polk R600's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Polk R100 with its rear-firing port.
Polk R100 Port
Polk R600 Port
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 R100's and Polk R600'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 R600 has external dimensions of 1063.8 x 280.7 x 381.6mm ( 41.9 x 11 x 15inch) .
Polk R600 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 113.7mm wider, 737.8mm taller and 122.6mm deeper than Polk R100.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R100 and Polk R600 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R100 and Polk R600 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 R600 is approximately 1071.2cm2 / 166.0inch2. The R100 requires 60% less surface area than the R600 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 loudspeakers2 GrillesOwners ManualOnline Registration
What's in the Box of Polk R600?
Here are the items that come with the R600:
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
High Frequency Response 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Minimum Impedance 
Woofer Size