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Polk ES15 vs Polk ES30 Comparison

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Polk ES15

Passive Bookshelf | 44-40k Hz

Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15
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Polk ES30

Passive Center Channel | 55-40k Hz

Polk Audio Signature Elite ES30
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Polk ES15 Polk ES15
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Polk ES30 Polk ES30
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Polk ES15
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Polk ES30
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Polk ES15 vs Polk ES30 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the ES30 is a Center Channel speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk ES15 and Polk ES30 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

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 )

Polk ES30 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" High-res dome Tweeter
  • 2 x 5.5" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance Woofer
  • 55-40k Hz Frequency Response
  • 89 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:20-125watts
  • Weight:8.64kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 191.0" x 20-1/16" x 10-5/8"( 191.0 x 510.0 x 270.0mm )

ES15 and ES30 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 ES15 and Polk ES30 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 ES15 Polk ES30
Near-field Average Poor
Small Room Good Average
Mid-size Room Average Good
Large Room Poor Average
Very Large Room Bad 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 ES15 and Polk ES30 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 ES15 and ES30 are 2-way speakers.

Driver Polk ES15 Polk ES30
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 1 x 5.25-inch 2 x 5.5-inch

ES15 features a 1" Terylene Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the ES30 features a 1" Terylene High-res dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance Woofer .

Frequency Response

ES15 has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz whereas ES30 has a frequency range of 55-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the ES15 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ES30's min frequency of 55Hz.

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

ES15
ES30
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Polk ES15
Polk ES30
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

ES15 and ES30 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ES15 sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the ES30's is at 89 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Polk ES30 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES15, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

ES15
ES30
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.

ES15 can handle a max power of 125 watts RMS from the amp the whereas ES15 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 25 watts less than the ES30.

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

ES15 features 5-Way post type posts and ES30 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

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

Polk ES305-Way post Terminals
Polk ES30's 5-Way post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both ES15 and ES30 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 ES15  Port
Polk ES15 Power Port Port

Polk ES30  Port
Polk ES30 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 ES15's and Polk ES30's external dimensions. 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) whereas Polk ES30 has external dimensions of 191.0 x 510.0 x 270.0mm ( 7-1/2 x 20-1/16 x 10-5/8inch) .

Polk ES15 is 317mm narrower and 11mm less deeper than Polk ES30 but it is also 116mm taller.

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 ES15 is approximately 499.9cm2 / 77.5inch2 and base area of the Polk ES30 is approximately 1377.0cm2 / 213.4inch2. The ES15 requires 64% less surface area than the ES30 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of Polk ES15?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of ES15:
  • 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 ES30?

    Here are the items that come with the ES30:
  • Center-channel loudspeaker
  • Grille (attached)
  • 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • Owners Manual
  • Online Product Registration

  • Reasons to choose Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15 over Polk Audio Signature Elite ES30
    Low Frequency Response 44 Hz vs 55 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Mounting Bracket Yes vs No Allows mounting on walls
    Base Surface Area 499cm2 vs 1377cm2 Takes less floor space

    Reasons to choose Polk Audio Signature Elite ES30 over Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15

    Max Input Power 125 watts vs 100 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Sensitivity 89 dB vs 85 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 5.5 inches vs 5.25 inches Larger woofer
    Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
    Height 191mm vs 307mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Polk ES15 vs Polk ES30 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15 Polk Audio Signature Elite ES30
    Brand Polk Audio Polk Audio
    Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Center channel speaker
    Power Range 20-100 watts 20-125 watts
    Sensitivity 85 dB 89 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Frequency Response 44-40k Hz 55-40k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 2
    Woofer Size 5.25" 5.5"
    Woofer Composition Mica-reinforced polypropylene mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance
    Woofer Surround Material Butyl rubber n/a
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type Soft-Dome High-res dome
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No N/A"
    Crossover Frequency 2500Hz n/a
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 307.0mm (12.1") 191.0mm (7.5")
    Width 193.0mm (7.6") 510.0mm (20.1")
    Depth 259.0mm (10.2") 270.0mm (10.6")
    Weight 5.91kg (13lbs) 8.64kg (19lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF, Wood-grain vinyl MDF, Wood-grain vinyl
    Available Colors Black,White,Walnut Black, Walnut, White
    Mounting Bracket Keyhole No
    Recommended Stand Height 24-28" n/a
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No n/a
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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