In this review, we will be comparing R600 and Opticon 6 MK2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R600 and DALI Opticon 6 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk R600 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer
- 43-38k Hz Frequency Response
- 87.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:21.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1063.8" x 11" x 15"( 1063.8 x 280.7 x 381.6mm )
DALI Opticon 6 II Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Wood Fiber Woofer
- 49-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:19.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1010.0" x 7-5/8" x 13-3/8"( 1010.0 x 195.0 x 340.0mm )
What size room are the Polk R600 and DALI Opticon 6 II 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 R600 |
DALI Opticon 6 II |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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 R600 and DALI Opticon 6 II 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 R600 is a 2-way design whereas the Opticon 6 MK2 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 R600 |
DALI Opticon 6 II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
R600 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz. On the other hand, the Opticon 6 MK2 features a 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 800Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz.
Frequency Response
R600 has a frequency range of 43-38k Hz whereas Opticon 6 MK2 has a frequency range of 49-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 43Hz, the R600 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Opticon 6 MK2'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
R600 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Opticon 6 MK2 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 Opticon 6 MK2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. R600 sensitivity is rated at 87.5 dB and the Opticon 6 MK2's is rated at 88 dB.
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.
R600 and Opticon 6 MK2 has the same power range of 25-200 watts.
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
Opticon 6 MK2 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R600 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R600's Post terminals
DALI Opticon 6 II's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
R600 has a bottom firing port whereas Opticon 6 MK2 has a rear firing ports. Polk R600's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to DALI Opticon 6 II with its rear-firing port.
Polk R600 Port
DALI Opticon 6 II 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 R600's and DALI Opticon 6 II's external dimensions. Polk R600 has external dimensions of 1063.8 x 280.7 x 381.6mm ( 41.9 x 11 x 15inch) whereas DALI Opticon 6 II has external dimensions of 1010.0 x 195.0 x 340.0mm ( 39-3/4 x 7-5/8 x 13-3/8inch) .
Polk R600 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 85.7mm wider, 53.8mm taller and 41.6mm deeper than DALI Opticon 6 II.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R600 and DALI Opticon 6 II in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R600 and DALI Opticon 6 II 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 R600 is approximately 1071.2cm2 / 166.0inch2 and base area of the DALI Opticon 6 II is approximately 663.0cm2 / 102.8inch2. The R600 requires 62% more surface area than the Opticon 6 MK2 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 R600 weighs 21.50kg / 47.3lbs and the DALI Opticon 6 II weighs 19.30kg / 42.5lbs. This makes the R600 11% heavier than the Opticon 6 MK2.
Here is a comparison of how R600 and Opticon 6 MK2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk R600?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R600:
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 DALI Opticon 6 II?
Here are the items that come with the Opticon 6 MK2:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille2 Binding post jumpers (pre-installed)4 Outrigger feet4 Spikes (with lock nuts)4 Rubber pads4 ScrewsHex-keyWrenchQuick Start GuideCongratulations Card
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
43 Hz
vs
49 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
1698USD
vs
2500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1010mm
vs
1063mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
663cm2
vs
1071cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Polk Audio Reserve R600 |
DALI Opticon 6 MK2 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
43-38k Hz |
49-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
Wood Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2700Hz |
800Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1063.8mm (41.9") |
1010.0mm (39.8") |
| Width |
280.7mm (11.1") |
195.0mm (7.7") |
| Depth |
381.6mm (15") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
21.50kg (47.3lbs) |
19.30kg (42.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, White |
Satin Black, Tobacco Oak, Satin 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 |