In this review, we will be comparing R500 and R-610F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R500 and Klipsch R-610F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk R500 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer
- 49-38k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:17.70kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1044.5" x 10.1" x 13.7"( 1044.5 x 255.4 x 348.8mm )
Klipsch R-610F Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.0" Tweeter
- 6.5" Copper-spun IMG Woofer
- 45-21k Hz Frequency Response
- 94 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 85watts
- Weight:16.36kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 942.0" x 9-3/8" x 14-1/2"( 942.0 x 239.0 x 369.0mm )
What size room are the Polk R500 and Klipsch R-610F 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 R500 |
Klipsch R-610F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 R500 and Klipsch R-610F 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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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both R500 and R-610F are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk R500 |
Klipsch R-610F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.0-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
R500 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the R-610F features a 1.0" Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Copper-spun IMG Woofer .
Frequency Response
R500 has a frequency range of 49-38k Hz whereas R-610F has a frequency range of 45-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the R-610F can go slightly deeper then the R500's min frequency of 49Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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
R500 and R-610F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R500 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the R-610F's is at 94 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-610F a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R500, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
R500 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R-610F has a max power handling value of 85 watts RMS, 115 watts less than the R500.
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
R500 features Post type posts and R-610F has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R500's Post terminals
Klipsch R-610F's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R500 and R-610F 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.
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 R500's and Klipsch R-610F's external dimensions. Polk R500 has external dimensions of 1044.5 x 255.4 x 348.8mm ( 41.1 x 10.1 x 13.7inch) whereas Klipsch R-610F has external dimensions of 942.0 x 239.0 x 369.0mm ( 37-1/16 x 9-3/8 x 14-1/2inch) .
Klipsch R-610F is 16.4mm narrower and 102.5mm shorter than Polk R500 but it is also 20.2mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R500 and Klipsch R-610F in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R500 and Klipsch R-610F 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 R500 is approximately 890.8cm2 / 138.1inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-610F is approximately 881.9cm2 / 136.7inch2. The R500 requires 1% more surface area than the R-610F which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.