In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Reserve R300 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the R100 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R300 and Polk R100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk R300 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer
- 65-38k Hz Frequency Response
- 86.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-200watts
- Weight:7.64kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 174.0" x 19-1/16" x 8-15/16"( 174.0 x 485.0 x 228.0mm )
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 )
R300 and R100 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 R300 and Polk R100 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 R300 |
Polk R100 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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 R300 and Polk R100 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 R300 and R100 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk R300 |
Polk R100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
R300 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz. On the other hand, the R100 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
R300 has a frequency range of 65-38k Hz whereas R100 has a frequency range of 58-39k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 58Hz, the R100 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R300's min frequency of 65Hz.
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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel 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
R300 and R100 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R300 sensitivity is rated at 86.5 dB and the R100's is at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk R300 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R100, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
R300 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 R300.
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
R300 features Binding post type posts and R100 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R300's Binding post terminals
Polk R100's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R300 and R100 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
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 R300's and Polk R100's external dimensions. Polk R300 has external dimensions of 174.0 x 485.0 x 228.0mm ( 6-13/16 x 19-1/16 x 8-15/16inch) whereas 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) .
Polk R300 is 152mm shorter and 31mm less deeper than Polk R100 but it is also 318mm wider.
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 R300 is approximately 1105.8cm2 / 171.4inch2 and base area of the Polk R100 is approximately 432.5cm2 / 67.0inch2. The R300 requires 156% more surface area than the R100 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Polk R300?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R300:
Center-channel loudspeakerGrilleOwners ManualOnline Registration
What's in the Box of Polk R100?
Here are the items that come with the R100:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 GrillesOwners ManualOnline Registration
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Minimum Impedance 
Number of Woofers 
Height 
Price per pair* 
High Frequency Response 
Base Surface Area