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Polk R300 vs Polk R700 Comparison

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Polk R300

Passive Center Channel | 65-38k Hz

Polk Audio Reserve R300
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Polk R700

Passive Floor-standing | 38-38k Hz

Polk Audio Reserve R700
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Polk R300 Polk R300
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Polk R700 Polk R700
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Polk R300
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Polk R700
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Polk R300 vs Polk R700 Speaker Comparison

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 R700 is a Floor-standing speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk R300 and Polk R700 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 R700 Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
  • 6.5" Midrange
  • 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer
  • 6.5" Midrange
  • 38-38k Hz Frequency Response
  • 88 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:50-300watts
  • Weight:35.90kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1143.8" x 12.6" x 16.9"( 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm )

R300 and R700 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 R300 and Polk R700 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 R700
Near-field Poor Bad
Small Room Average Poor
Mid-size Room Good Average
Large Room Average Good
Very Large Room Poor Average

(* 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 R700 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

One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that R300 is a 2-way design whereas the R700 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.

Driver Polk R300 Polk R700
Driver Setup 2-way 3-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - 1 x 6.5-inch
Woofer 2 x 5.25-inch 2 x 8-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 R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz.

Frequency Response

R300 has a frequency range of 65-38k Hz whereas R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the R700 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

R300
R700
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

Polk R300
Polk R700
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

R300 and R700 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 R700's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk R700 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R300, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

R300
R700
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.

R300 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R300 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the R700.

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

R700 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R300 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Polk R300 Terminals
Polk R300's Binding post terminals

Polk R700Post Terminals
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

R300 has a rear firing port whereas R700 has a bottom firing ports. Polk R700's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Polk R300 with its rear-firing port.

Polk R700  Port
Polk R700 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 R700'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 R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm ( 45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch) .

Polk R300 is 969.8mm shorter and 200.3mm less deeper than Polk R700 but it is also 164.3mm 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 R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2. The R300 requires 19% less surface area than the R700 which gives it a small advantage 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 loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • Owners Manual
  • Online Registration
  • What's in the Box of Polk R700?

    Here are the items that come with the R700:
  • 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

  • Reasons to choose Polk Audio Reserve R300 over Polk Audio Reserve R700
    Minimum Impedance 3.8 ohms vs 3.6 ohms Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier
    Height 174mm vs 1143mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 1105cm2 vs 1373cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 449USD vs 2198USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

    Reasons to choose Polk Audio Reserve R700 over Polk Audio Reserve R300

    Max Input Power 300 watts vs 200 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Driver Setup 3-way vs 2-way Have a dedicated mid-range driver
    Sensitivity 88 dB vs 87 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 8 inches vs 5.25 inches Larger woofer
    Low Frequency Response 38 Hz vs 65 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring Yes vs No Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections
    Polk R300 vs Polk R700 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Polk Audio Reserve R300 Polk Audio Reserve R700
    Brand Polk Audio Polk Audio
    Speaker Type Center channel speaker Floor-standing speaker
    Power Range 30-200 watts 50-300 watts
    Sensitivity 86.5 dB 88 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance 3.8 ohms 3.6 ohms
    Frequency Response 65-38k Hz 38-38k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 2
    Woofer Size 5.25" 8"
    Woofer Composition Polypropylene Turbine Cone Polypropylene
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type Pinnacle Ring Radiator Pinnacle Ring Radiator
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver N/A" 6.5"
    Crossover Frequency 2200Hz 350Hz and 2700Hz
    Firing Direction rear bottom
    Physical Specs
    Height 174.0mm (6.9") 1143.8mm (45")
    Width 485.0mm (19.1") 320.7mm (12.6")
    Depth 228.0mm (9") 428.3mm (16.9")
    Weight 7.64kg (16.8lbs) 35.90kg (79lbs)
    Enclosure Acoustic Suspension Bass Reflex
    Finish n/a MDF/Vinyl
    Available Colors Black, Walnut Black, Walnut, White
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No Yes
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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