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Polk R200 50th AE vs Polk R400 Comparison

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Polk R200 50th AE

Passive Bookshelf | 51-38k Hz

Polk Audio Reserve R200 50th Anniversary Edition
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Polk R400

Passive Center Channel | 48-39K Hz

Polk Audio Reserve R400
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Polk R200 50th AE Polk R200 50th AE
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Polk R400 Polk R400
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Polk R200 50th AE
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Polk R400
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Polk R200 50th AE vs Polk R400 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Reserve R200 50th Anniversary Edition is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the R400 is a Center Channel speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk R200 50th AE and Polk R400 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Polk R200 50th AE Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Ring Radiator Tweeter
  • 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer
  • 51-38k Hz Frequency Response
  • 86 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:30-200watts
  • Weight:8.80kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 358.0" x 7-9/16" x 13-15/16"( 358.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm )

Polk R400 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
  • 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer
  • 48-39K Hz Frequency Response
  • 89 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:20-200watts
  • Weight:14.91kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 199.0" x 24-5/16" x 14-5/8"( 199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm )

R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R400 are members of Polk Audio's Reserve series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Polk Audio Reserve Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Polk R700
  
Floor-standing 38-38k Hz 88 dB8Ω 2 x 8"
Polk R500
  
Floor-standing 49-38k Hz 87 dB8Ω 2 x 5.25"
Polk R600
  
Floor-standing 43-38k Hz 87.5 dB8Ω 2 x 6.5"
Polk R200
  
Bookshelf 51-38k Hz 86 dB8Ω 1 x 6.5"
Polk R400
Center Channel 48-39K Hz 89 dB8Ω 2 x 6.5"
Polk R100
  
Bookshelf 58-39k Hz 86 dB8Ω 1 x 5.25"
Polk R300
  
Center Channel 65-38k Hz 86.5 dB8Ω 2 x 5.25"
Polk R200 50th AE
Bookshelf 51-38k Hz 86 dB8Ω 1 x 6.5"

What size room are the Polk R200 50th AE and Polk R400 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 R200 50th AE Polk R400
Near-field Poor Poor
Small Room Poor Average
Mid-size Room Good Good
Large Room Good Average
Very Large Room Average 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 R200 50th AE and Polk R400 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R400 are 2-way speakers.

Driver Polk R200 50th AE Polk R400
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 1 x 6.5-inch 2 x 6.5-inch

R200 50th Anniversary Edition features a 1" ring radiator Pinnacle with an integrated waveguide Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer . On the other hand, the R400 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.

Frequency Response

R200 50th Anniversary Edition has a frequency range of 51-38k Hz whereas R400 has a frequency range of 48-39K Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the R400 can go slightly deeper then the R200 50th Anniversary Edition's min frequency of 51Hz.

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

R200 50th Anniversary Edition
R400
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Polk R200 50th AE
Polk R400
Min
Average
Max

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

R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R400 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R200 50th Anniversary Edition sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the R400's is at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Polk R400 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R200 50th AE, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

R200 50th Anniversary Edition
R400
Min
Average
Max

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.

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

R200 50th Anniversary Edition features Binding post type posts and R400 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Polk R200 50th AE Terminals
Polk R200 50th AE's Binding post terminals

Polk R400Binding post Terminals
Polk R400's Binding post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both R200 50th Anniversary Edition and R400 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 R400  Port
Polk R400 dual 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 R200 50th AE's and Polk R400's external dimensions. 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 ) whereas Polk R400 has external dimensions of 199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm ( 7-13/16 x 24-5/16 x 14-5/8inch) .

Polk R200 50th AE is 425mm narrower and 17mm less deeper than Polk R400 but it is also 159mm taller.

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 R200 50th AE is approximately 685.2cm2 / 106.2inch2 and base area of the Polk R400 is approximately 2299.0cm2 / 356.3inch2. The R200 50th Anniversary Edition requires 70% less surface area than the R400 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of Polk R200 50th AE?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of R200 50th Anniversary Edition:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grilles
  • Owners Manual
  • Online Registration
  • Certificate Of Aunthenticity
  • What's in the Box of Polk R400?

    Here are the items that come with the R400:
  • Center-channel loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • Owners Manual
  • Online Registration

  • Reasons to choose Polk Audio Reserve R200 50th Anniversary Edition over Polk Audio Reserve R400
    Base Surface Area 685cm2 vs 2299cm2 Takes less floor space

    Reasons to choose Polk Audio Reserve R400 over Polk Audio Reserve R200 50th Anniversary Edition

    Sensitivity 89 dB vs 86 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Minimum Impedance 4.1 ohms vs 3.8 ohms Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier
    Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 48 Hz vs 51 Hz Generates deeper bass
    High Frequency Response 39k Hz vs 38k Hz Generates higher frequency
    Height 199mm vs 358mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Price per pair* 649USD vs 1249USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    Polk R200 50th AE vs Polk R400 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Polk Audio Reserve R200 50th Anniversary Edition Polk Audio Reserve R400
    Brand Polk Audio Polk Audio
    Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Center channel speaker
    Power Range 30-200 watts 20-200 watts
    Sensitivity 86 dB 89 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance 3.8 ohms 4.1 ohms
    Frequency Response 51-38k Hz 48-39K Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 2
    Woofer Size 6.5" 6.5"
    Woofer Composition Polypropylene Polypropylene Turbine Cone
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type Ring Radiator Pinnacle Ring Radiator
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No N/A"
    Crossover Frequency n/a 2500Hz
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 358.0mm (14.1") 199.0mm (7.8")
    Width 193.0mm (7.6") 618.0mm (24.3")
    Depth 355.0mm (14") 372.0mm (14.6")
    Weight 8.80kg (19.4lbs) 14.91kg (32.8lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF/Wood veneer n/a
    Available Colors Cherry Black, Walnut
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Recommended Stand Height 24-28" n/a
    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

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