In this review, we will be comparing R100 and ES15, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R100 and Polk ES15 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk R100 | Polk ES15 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone | 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-39k Hz | 44-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | 20-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.55kg / 12.2lbs | 5.91kg / 13lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 12-1/16" x 7-9/16" x 10-3/16"
307.0 x 193.0 x 259.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk R100 and Polk ES15 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 ES15 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 ES15 are 2-way speakers.
Polk R100Polk ES15
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 ES15 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 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 ES15 features a 1" Terylene Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
R100 has a frequency range of 58-39k Hz whereas ES15 has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the ES15 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 ES15 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R100 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the ES15's is at 85 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk R100 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES15, 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.
R100 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas ES15 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the R100.
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 5-Way post type posts and ES15 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R100's Binding post terminals
Polk ES15's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R100 and ES15 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
Polk ES15 Power Port 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 ES15'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 ES15 has external dimensions of 307.0 x 193.0 x 259.0mm (12-1/16 x 7-9/16 x 10-3/16inch).
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R100 and Polk ES15 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R100 and Polk ES15 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 ES15 is approximately 499.9cm2 / 77.5inch2. The R100 requires 13% less surface area than the ES15 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 ES15 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 ES15 weighs 5.91kg / 13lbs. This makes the ES15 6% heavier than the R100.
Here is a comparison of how R100 and ES15'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 ES15?
Here are the items that come with the ES15:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grille (attached)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Wall-mount template
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
86 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Base Surface Area |
432cm2
vs
499cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
39k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Mounting Bracket |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows mounting on walls |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
649USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio Reserve R100 |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
20-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
85 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
58-39k Hz |
44-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2700Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
307.0mm (12.1") |
307.0mm (12.1") |
| Width |
167.0mm (6.6") |
193.0mm (7.6") |
| Depth |
259.0mm (10.2") |
259.0mm (10.2") |
| Weight |
5.55kg (12.2lbs) |
5.91kg (13lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF, Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, White |
Black,White,Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
Keyhole |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - Polk R100 costs roughly 2.2x what Polk ES15 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Polk ES15 digs deeper - 44Hz against 58Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 85dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Polk R100 takes more power (150W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | B | Polk ES15 is cheaper - $299 against $649, about 54% less; arguably a different class. |
A Polk R100 B Polk ES15
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 58Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Polk R100 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Polk ES15 for near-field listening and a small 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.