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Polk R700 vs Polk R100 Comparison

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Polk R700

Passive Floor-standing | 38-38k Hz

Polk Audio Reserve R700
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Polk R100

Passive Bookshelf | 58-39k Hz

Polk Audio Reserve R100
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Polk R700 Polk R700
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Polk R100 Polk R100
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Polk R700
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Polk R100
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Polk R700 vs Polk R100 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Reserve R700 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the R100 is a Bookshelf speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk R700 and Polk R100 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Polk R700 Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
  • 6.5" Midrange
  • 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer
  • 38-38k Hz Frequency Response
  • 88 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:50-300watts
  • Weight:35.90kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1143.8" x 12.6" x 16.9"( 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm )

Polk R100 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
  • 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer
  • 58-39k Hz Frequency Response
  • 86 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:30-150watts
  • Weight:5.55kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 326.0" x 6-9/16" x 10-3/16"( 326.0 x 167.0 x 259.0mm )

R700 and R100 are members of Polk Audio's Reserve series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Polk Audio Reserve Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Polk R700
Floor-standing 38-38k Hz 88 dB8Ω 2 x 8"
Polk R500
  
Floor-standing 49-38k Hz 87 dB8Ω 2 x 5.25"
Polk R600
  
Floor-standing 43-38k Hz 87.5 dB8Ω 2 x 6.5"
Polk R200
  
Bookshelf 51-38k Hz 86 dB8Ω 1 x 6.5"
Polk R400
  
Center Channel 48-39K Hz 89 dB8Ω 2 x 6.5"
Polk R100
Bookshelf 58-39k Hz 86 dB8Ω 1 x 5.25"
Polk R300
  
Center Channel 65-38k Hz 86.5 dB8Ω 2 x 5.25"
Polk R200 50th AE
  
Bookshelf 51-38k Hz 86 dB8Ω 1 x 6.5"

What size room are the Polk R700 and Polk R100 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 R700 Polk R100
Near-field Bad Poor
Small Room Poor Average
Mid-size Room Average Good
Large Room Good Average
Very Large Room Average 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 R700 and Polk R100 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 R700 is a 3-way design whereas the R100 is a 2-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 R700 Polk R100
Driver Setup 3-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange 1 x 6.5-inch -
Woofer 2 x 8-inch 1 x 5.25-inch

R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz. On the other hand, the R100 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.

Frequency Response

R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz whereas R100 has a frequency range of 58-39k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the R700 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R100's min frequency of 58Hz.

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

R700
R100
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Polk R700
Polk R100
Min
Average
Max

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

R700 and R100 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R700 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the R100's is at 86 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk R700 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R100, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

R700
R100
Min
Average
Max

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.

R700 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R100 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the R700.

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

R700 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R100 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Polk R700 Terminals
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Polk R100 Terminals
Polk R100's Binding post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

R700 has a bottom firing port whereas R100 has a rear firing ports. Polk R700's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Polk R100 with its rear-firing port.

Polk R700  Port
Polk R700 Port

Polk R100  Port
Polk R100 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 R700's and Polk R100's external dimensions. Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm ( 45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch) whereas Polk R100 has external dimensions of 326.0 x 167.0 x 259.0mm ( 12-13/16 x 6-9/16 x 10-3/16inch) .

Polk R700 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 153.7mm wider, 817.8mm taller and 169.3mm deeper than Polk R100.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R700 and Polk R100 in scale.

Polk R700 vs Polk R100 Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Polk R700 and Polk R100 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 R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2 and base area of the Polk R100 is approximately 432.5cm2 / 67.0inch2. The R700 requires 218% more surface area than the R100 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of Polk R700?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of R700:
  • 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 R100?

    Here are the items that come with the R100:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grilles
  • Owners Manual
  • Online Registration

  • Reasons to choose Polk Audio Reserve R700 over Polk Audio Reserve R100
    Max Input Power 300 watts vs 150 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Driver Setup 3-way vs 2-way Have a dedicated mid-range driver
    Sensitivity 88 dB vs 86 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 8 inches vs 5.25 inches Larger woofer
    Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 38 Hz vs 58 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring Yes vs No Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections

    Reasons to choose Polk Audio Reserve R100 over Polk Audio Reserve R700

    High Frequency Response 39k Hz vs 38k Hz Generates higher frequency
    Height 326mm vs 1143mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 432cm2 vs 1373cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 649USD vs 2198USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    Polk R700 vs Polk R100 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Polk Audio Reserve R700 Polk Audio Reserve R100
    Brand Polk Audio Polk Audio
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range 50-300 watts 30-150 watts
    Sensitivity 88 dB 86 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance 3.6 ohms 3.6 ohms
    Frequency Response 38-38k Hz 58-39k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 1
    Woofer Size 8" 5.25"
    Woofer Composition Polypropylene Polypropylene Turbine Cone
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type Pinnacle Ring Radiator Pinnacle Ring Radiator
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver 6.5" No
    Crossover Frequency 350Hz and 2700Hz 2700Hz
    Firing Direction bottom rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 1143.8mm (45") 326.0mm (12.8")
    Width 320.7mm (12.6") 167.0mm (6.6")
    Depth 428.3mm (16.9") 259.0mm (10.2")
    Weight 35.90kg (79lbs) 5.55kg (12.2lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF/Vinyl MDF/Vinyl
    Available Colors Black, Walnut, White Black, Walnut, White
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Recommended Stand Height n/a 24-28"
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs Yes No
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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