In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Signature Elite ES30 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the ES20 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk ES30 and Polk ES20 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
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 )
Polk ES20 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
- 41-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-125watts
- Weight:7.73kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 375.0" x 8-9/16" x 13-13/16"( 375.0 x 218.0 x 351.0mm )
ES30 and ES20 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 ES30 and Polk ES20 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 ES30 |
Polk ES20 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk ES30 and Polk ES20 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
Both ES30 and ES20 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk ES30 |
Polk ES20 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
ES30 features a 1" Terylene High-res dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance Woofer . On the other hand, the ES20 features a 1" Terylene Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
ES30 has a frequency range of 55-40k Hz whereas ES20 has a frequency range of 41-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 41Hz, the ES20 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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel 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
ES30 and ES20 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ES30 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the ES20's is at 86 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Polk ES30 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES20, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
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.
ES30 and ES20 has the same power range of 20-125 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
ES30 features 5-Way post type posts and ES20 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk ES30's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both ES30 and ES20 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 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 ES30's and Polk ES20's external dimensions. 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) whereas 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) .
Polk ES30 is 184mm shorter and 81mm less deeper than Polk ES20 but it is also 292mm 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 ES30 is approximately 1377.0cm2 / 213.4inch2 and base area of the Polk ES20 is approximately 765.2cm2 / 118.6inch2. The ES30 requires 80% more surface area than the ES20 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Polk ES30?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ES30:
Center-channel loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Self-adhesive rubber feetOwners ManualOnline Product Registration
What's in the Box of Polk ES20?
Here are the items that come with the ES20:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Grille (attached)8 Self-adhesive rubber feetOwners ManualOnline Product Registration
Sensitivity 
Number of Woofers 
Height 
Price per pair* 
Base Surface Area