In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Reserve R900 is a Surround speaker whereas the R700 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk Audio Reserve R900 and Polk R700 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk Audio Reserve R900 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 0.75" Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 4" Woofer
- 70-32k Hz Frequency Response
- 85.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Weight:kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 6-1/4" x 6-9/16" x 12-5/8"
Polk R700 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer
- 6.5" Midrange
- 38-38k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-300watts
- Weight:35.90kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 45" x 12.6" x 16.9" ( 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm )
Reserve R900 and R700 are members of Polk Audio's Reserve series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Polk Audio Reserve Series
History
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk Audio Reserve R900 and Polk R700 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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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Reserve R900 is a 2-way design whereas the R700 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 Audio Reserve R900 |
Polk R700 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Reserve R900 features a 0.75" Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 4" Woofer . On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Reserve R900 has a frequency range of 70-32k Hz whereas R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the R700 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Reserve R900's min frequency of 70Hz.
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 Surround class in our database.
Low Frequency
Surround Speakers
High Frequency
Surround 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
Reserve R900 and R700 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Reserve R900 sensitivity is rated at 85.5 dB and the R700's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk R700 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk Audio Reserve R900, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Surround Speakers
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
R700 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Reserve R900 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Polk R700 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 Audio Reserve R900's and Polk R700's external dimensions. Polk Audio Reserve R900 has external dimensions of ( ) whereas Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm ( 45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch) .
Polk R700 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 320.7mm wider, 1143.8mm taller and 428.3mm deeper than Polk Audio Reserve R900.
What's in the Box of Polk R700?
Here are the items that come with the 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