In this review, we will be comparing R400 and L400, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R400 and Polk L400 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk R400 | Polk L400 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone | 2 x 6.5" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-39K Hz | 55-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 87.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 25-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.91kg / 32.8lbs | 18.55kg / 40.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-13/16" x 24-5/16" x 14-5/8"
199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm | 9-5/8" x 26-1/16" x 13-1/2"
245.0 x 662.0 x 343.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk R400 and Polk L400 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 R400 |
Polk L400 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that R400 is a 2-way design whereas the L400 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.
Polk R400Polk L400
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Polk R400 |
Polk L400 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
R400 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the L400 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woofer.
Frequency Response
R400 has a frequency range of 48-39K Hz whereas L400 has a frequency range of 55-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the R400 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the L400's min frequency of 55Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
R400 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the L400 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the L400 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. R400 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the L400's is rated at 87.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk R400 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk L400, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
L400 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas R400 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the L400.
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
R400 features Binding post type posts and L400 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R400's Binding post terminals
Polk L400's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R400 and L400 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 dual Port
Polk L400 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 R400's and Polk L400's external dimensions. 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) whereas Polk L400 has external dimensions of 245.0 x 662.0 x 343.0mm (9-5/8 x 26-1/16 x 13-1/2inch).
Polk R400 is 44mm narrower and 46mm shorter than Polk L400 but it is also 29mm deeper.
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 R400 is approximately 2299.0cm2 / 356.3inch2 and base area of the Polk L400 is approximately 2270.7cm2 / 352.0inch2. The R400 requires 1% more surface area than the L400 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 R400 weighs 14.91kg / 32.8lbs and the Polk L400 weighs 18.55kg / 40.8lbs. This makes the L400 24% heavier than the R400.
Here is a comparison of how R400 and L400's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk R400?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R400:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
What's in the Box of Polk L400?
Here are the items that come with the L400:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Jumper-wires
- Cleaning cloth
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
39k Hz
vs
38k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
199mm
vs
245mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
649USD
vs
1799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 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 |
 Base Surface Area |
2270cm2
vs
2299cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Polk Audio Reserve R400 |
Polk Audio Legend L400 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
25-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
87.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.1 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
48-39K Hz |
55-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
|
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
199.0mm (7.8") |
245.0mm (9.6") |
| Width |
618.0mm (24.3") |
662.0mm (26.1") |
| Depth |
372.0mm (14.6") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Weight |
14.91kg (32.8lbs) |
18.55kg (40.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut |
Black, Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Polk L400 costs roughly 2.8x what Polk R400 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 |
A |
Polk R400 digs deeper - 48Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match |
A |
Polk R400 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom |
B |
Polk L400 takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability |
depends |
Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Polk R400 sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
A |
Polk R400 is cheaper - $649 against $1,799, about 64% less; arguably a different class. |
A Polk R400
B Polk L400
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
Polk R400 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Polk R400 the better fit for a small room, and Polk L400 for a large room and a very large 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.