In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the ES35 is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk ES15 and Polk ES35 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk ES15 | Polk ES35 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" High-res dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene | 6 x 3" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-40k Hz | 66-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-100 watts | 20-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.91kg / 13lbs | 6.36kg / 14lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12-1/16" x 7-9/16" x 10-3/16"
307.0 x 193.0 x 259.0mm | 4-3/16" x 24-7/16" x 6-1/16"
107.0 x 621.0 x 154.0mm |
|---|
ES15 and ES35 are members of Polk Audio's Signature Elite series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the Polk ES15 and Polk ES35 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 ES35 |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both ES15 and ES35 are 2-way speakers.
Polk ES15Polk ES35
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Polk ES15 |
Polk ES35 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
6 x 3-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 ES35 features a 1" Terylene High-res dome Tweeter and 6 x 3" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance Woofer.
Frequency Response
ES15 has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz whereas ES35 has a frequency range of 66-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the ES15 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ES35's min frequency of 66Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
ES15 and ES35 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ES15 sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the ES35's is at 89 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Polk ES35 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES15, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
ES35 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas ES15 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the ES35.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
ES15 features 5-Way post type posts and ES35 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk ES15's 5-Way post terminals
Polk ES35's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both ES15 and ES35 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 Power Port Port
Polk ES35 Port
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be 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 ES35'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 ES35 has external dimensions of 107.0 x 621.0 x 154.0mm (4-3/16 x 24-7/16 x 6-1/16inch).
Polk ES35 is 200mm shorter and 105mm less deeper than Polk ES15 but it is also 428mm wider.
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 ES35 is approximately 956.3cm2 / 148.2inch2. The ES15 requires 48% less surface area than the ES35 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 ES35?
Here are the items that come with the ES35:
- LCR loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Wall-mount template
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration