In this review, we will be comparing two different types 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.
| Key Specs | Polk ES30 | Polk ES20 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" High-res dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.5" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance | 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-40k Hz | 41-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-125 watts | 20-125 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.64kg / 19lbs | 7.73kg / 17lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-1/2" x 20-1/16" x 10-5/8"
191.0 x 510.0 x 270.0mm | 14-3/4" 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.)
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 ES30 and ES20 are 2-way speakers.
Polk ES30Polk ES20
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 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.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
ES30 and ES20 have the same power range of 20-125 watts.
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
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
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 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 loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
What's in the Box of Polk ES20?
Here are the items that come with the ES20:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grille (attached)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration