In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Signature Elite ES20 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the ES50 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk ES20 and Polk ES50 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk ES20 | Polk ES50 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene | 2 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 41-40k Hz | 38-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-125 watts | 40-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.73kg / 17lbs | 14.50kg / 31.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-3/4" x 8-9/16" x 13-13/16"
375.0 x 218.0 x 351.0mm | 37-7/16" x 7-1/2" x 11-1/16"
951.0 x 191.0 x 281.0mm |
|---|
ES20 and ES50 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 ES20 and Polk ES50 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 ES20 |
Polk ES50 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.
Drivers
Both ES20 and ES50 are 2-way speakers.
Polk ES20Polk ES50
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 ES20 |
Polk ES50 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
ES20 features a 1" Terylene Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the ES50 features a 1" Terylene High-Res Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
ES20 has a frequency range of 41-40k Hz whereas ES50 has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the ES50 can go slightly deeper then the ES20's min frequency of 41Hz.
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
ES20 and ES50 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ES20 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the ES50's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk ES50 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES20, 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.
ES50 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas ES20 has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 75 watts less than the ES50.
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
ES50 features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. ES20 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
ES20 has a rear firing port whereas ES50 has a bottom firing ports. Polk ES50's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Polk ES20 with its rear-firing 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 ES20's and Polk ES50's external dimensions. Polk ES20 has external dimensions of 375.0 x 218.0 x 351.0mm (14-3/4 x 8-9/16 x 13-13/16inch) whereas Polk ES50 has external dimensions of 951.0 x 191.0 x 281.0mm (37-7/16 x 7-1/2 x 11-1/16inch).
Polk ES50 is 27mm narrower and 70mm less deeper than Polk ES20 but it is also 576mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk ES20 and Polk ES50 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk ES20 and Polk ES50 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 ES20 is approximately 765.2cm2 / 118.6inch2 and base area of the Polk ES50 is approximately 536.7cm2 / 83.2inch2. The ES20 requires 43% more surface area than the ES50 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Polk ES20?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ES20:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grille (attached)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
What's in the Box of Polk ES50?
Here are the items that come with the ES50:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Feet (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration