In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Reserve R500 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the R200 50th Anniversary Edition is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R500 and Polk R200 50th AE 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 )
Polk R200 50th AE Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer
- 51-38k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-200watts
- Weight:8.80kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 358.0" x 7-9/16" x 13-15/16"( 358.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm )
R500 and R200 50th Anniversary Edition 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 R500 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 R500 |
Polk R200 50th AE |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
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 R500 and Polk R200 50th AE 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
Both R500 and R200 50th Anniversary Edition are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk R500 |
Polk R200 50th AE |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-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 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
R500 has a frequency range of 49-38k Hz whereas R200 50th Anniversary Edition has a frequency range of 51-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 49Hz, the R500 can go slightly deeper then the R200 50th Anniversary Edition's min frequency of 51Hz.
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
R200 50th Anniversary Edition
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 R200 50th Anniversary Edition have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R500 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the R200 50th Anniversary Edition's is at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk R500 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R200 50th AE, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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. 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.
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 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 R500's Post terminals
Polk R200 50th AE's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R500 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.
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 Polk R200 50th AE'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 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 62.4mm narrower and 686.5mm shorter than Polk R500 but it is also 6.2mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R500 and Polk R200 50th AE in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R500 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 R500 is approximately 890.8cm2 / 138.1inch2 and base area of the Polk R200 50th AE is approximately 685.2cm2 / 106.2inch2. The R500 requires 30% 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 R500?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R500:
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
What's in the Box of Polk R200 50th AE?
Here are the items that come with the R200 50th Anniversary Edition:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 GrillesOwners ManualOnline RegistrationCertificate Of Aunthenticity