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Polk ES10 vs Polk ES15 Comparison

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Polk ES10

Passive Bookshelf | 78-40k Hz

Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10
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Polk ES15

Passive Bookshelf | 44-40k Hz

Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15
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Polk ES10 Polk ES10
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Polk ES15 Polk ES15
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Polk ES10
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Polk ES15
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Polk ES10 vs Polk ES15 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing ES10 and ES15, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Polk Audio

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk ES10 and Polk ES15 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Polk ES10 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
  • 4" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
  • 78-40k Hz Frequency Response
  • 84 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:20-100watts
  • Weight:2.73kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 215.0" x 5-7/16" x 6-3/16"( 215.0 x 139.0 x 158.0mm )

Polk ES15 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
  • 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
  • 44-40k Hz Frequency Response
  • 85 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:20-100watts
  • Weight:5.91kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 307.0" x 7-9/16" x 10-3/16"( 307.0 x 193.0 x 259.0mm )

ES10 and ES15 are members of Polk Audio's Signature Elite series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Polk Audio Signature Elite Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Polk ES60
  
Floor-standing 32-40k Hz 90 dB8Ω 3 x 6.5"
Polk ES35
  
Center Channel 66-40k Hz 89 dB8Ω 6 x 3"
Polk ES20
  
Bookshelf 41-40k Hz 86 dB8Ω 1 x 6.5"
Polk ES10
Bookshelf 78-40k Hz 84 dB8Ω 1 x 4"
Polk ES15
Bookshelf 44-40k Hz 85 dB8Ω 1 x 5.25"
Polk ES55
  
Floor-standing 34-40k Hz 89 dB8Ω 3 x 6.5"
Polk ES50
  
Floor-standing 38-40k Hz 88 dB8Ω 2 x 5.25"
Polk ES30
  
Center Channel 55-40k Hz 89 dB8Ω 2 x 5.5"

What size room are the Polk ES10 and Polk ES15 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 ES10 Polk ES15
Near-field Average Average
Small Room Good Good
Mid-size Room Average Average
Large Room Poor Poor
Very Large Room Bad 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 ES10 and Polk ES15 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 ES10 and ES15 are 2-way speakers.

Driver Polk ES10 Polk ES15
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 1 x 4-inch 1 x 5.25-inch

ES10 features a 1" Terylene Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the ES15 features a 1" Terylene Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.

Frequency Response

ES10 has a frequency range of 78-40k Hz whereas ES15 has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the ES15 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ES10's min frequency of 78Hz.

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 Bookshelf class in our database.

Low Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

ES10
ES15
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Polk ES10
Polk ES15
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

ES10 and ES15 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ES10 sensitivity is rated at 84 dB and the ES15's is at 85 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk ES15 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES10, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

ES10
ES15
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.

ES10 and ES15 has the same power range of 20-100 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

ES10 features 5-Way post type posts and ES15 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Polk ES10 Terminals
Polk ES10's 5-Way post terminals

Polk ES155-Way post Terminals
Polk ES15's 5-Way post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both ES10 and ES15 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.

Polk ES10  Port
Polk ES10 Power Port Port

Polk ES15  Port
Polk ES15 Power Port 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 ES10's and Polk ES15's external dimensions. Polk ES10 has external dimensions of 215.0 x 139.0 x 158.0mm ( 8-7/16 x 5-7/16 x 6-3/16inch) whereas Polk ES15 has external dimensions of 307.0 x 193.0 x 259.0mm ( 12-1/16 x 7-9/16 x 10-3/16inch) .

Polk ES15 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 54mm wider, 92mm taller and 101mm deeper than Polk ES10.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk ES10 and Polk ES15 in scale.

Polk ES10 vs Polk ES15 Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Polk ES10 and Polk ES15 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 ES10 is approximately 219.6cm2 / 34.0inch2 and base area of the Polk ES15 is approximately 499.9cm2 / 77.5inch2. The ES10 requires 56% less surface area than the ES15 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:

Polk ES10 vs Polk ES15 Size Comparison on a Media Console
Size Comparison image of Polk ES10 and Polk ES15 on a Media Console
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 ES10 weighs 2.73kg / 6lbs and the Polk ES15 weighs 5.91kg / 13lbs. This makes the ES15 116% heavier than the ES10.

Here is a comparison of how ES10 and ES15's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Polk ES10
Polk ES15
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of Polk ES10?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of ES10:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grille (attached)
  • 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • Wall-mount template
  • Owners Manual
  • Online Product Registration
  • What's in the Box of Polk ES15?

    Here are the items that come with the ES15:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grille (attached)
  • 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • Wall-mount template
  • Owners Manual
  • Online Product Registration

  • Reasons to choose Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 over Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15
    Height 215mm vs 307mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 219cm2 vs 499cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 249USD vs 299USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

    Reasons to choose Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15 over Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10

    Sensitivity 85 dB vs 84 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 5.25 inches vs 4 inches Larger woofer
    Low Frequency Response 44 Hz vs 78 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Polk ES10 vs Polk ES15 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15
    Brand Polk Audio Polk Audio
    Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range 20-100 watts 20-100 watts
    Sensitivity 84 dB 85 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Frequency Response 78-40k Hz 44-40k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 1
    Woofer Size 4" 5.25"
    Woofer Composition Mica-reinforced polypropylene Mica-reinforced polypropylene
    Woofer Surround Material Butyl rubber Butyl rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type Soft-Dome Soft-Dome
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No No
    Crossover Frequency 2500Hz 2500Hz
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 215.0mm (8.5") 307.0mm (12.1")
    Width 139.0mm (5.5") 193.0mm (7.6")
    Depth 158.0mm (6.2") 259.0mm (10.2")
    Weight 2.73kg (6lbs) 5.91kg (13lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF, Wood-grain vinyl MDF, Wood-grain vinyl
    Available Colors Black,White,Walnut Black,White,Walnut
    Mounting Bracket Keyhole Keyhole
    Recommended Stand Height 28-32" 24-28"
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No No
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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