In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Reserve R400 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the R200 50th Anniversary Edition is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R400 and Polk R200 50th AE first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk R400 | Polk R200 50th AE |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | 1" Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone | 6.5" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-39K Hz | 51-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.91kg / 32.8lbs | 8.80kg / 19.4lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 14-1/16" x 7-9/16" x 13-15/16"
358.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm |
|---|
R400 and R200 50th Anniversary Edition are members of Polk Audio's Reserve series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Polk Audio Reserve Series
History
What size room are the Polk R400 and Polk R200 50th AE 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 R200 50th AE |
| 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.
Drivers
Both R400 and R200 50th Anniversary Edition are 2-way speakers.
Polk R400Polk R200 50th AE
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 R400 |
Polk R200 50th AE |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 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 R200 50th Anniversary Edition features a 1" ring radiator Pinnacle with an integrated waveguide Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
R400 has a frequency range of 48-39K Hz whereas R200 50th Anniversary Edition has a frequency range of 51-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the R400 can go slightly deeper then the R200 50th Anniversary Edition's min frequency of 51Hz.
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
R200 50th Anniversary Edition
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 and R200 50th Anniversary Edition have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R400 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the R200 50th Anniversary Edition's is at 86 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
Center Channel Speakers
R200 50th Anniversary Edition
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.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though R400 is rated 20-200 watts and R200 50th Anniversary Edition 30-200 watts.
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 R200 50th Anniversary Edition has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R400's Binding post terminals
Polk R200 50th AE's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R400 and R200 50th Anniversary Edition 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
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 R200 50th AE'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 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).
Polk R200 50th AE is 425mm narrower and 17mm less deeper than Polk R400 but it is also 159mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R400 and Polk R200 50th AE in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R400 and Polk R200 50th AE 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 R400 is approximately 2299.0cm2 / 356.3inch2 and base area of the Polk R200 50th AE is approximately 685.2cm2 / 106.2inch2. The R400 requires 236% more surface area than the R200 50th Anniversary Edition which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 R200 50th AE?
Here are the items that come with the R200 50th Anniversary Edition:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
- Certificate Of Aunthenticity