In this review, we will be comparing ES50 and XT70, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk ES50 and Polk XT70 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk ES50 | Polk XT70 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-40k Hz | 35-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-200 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.50kg / 31.9lbs | 15.91kg / 35lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 37-7/16" x 7-1/2" x 11-1/16"
951.0 x 191.0 x 281.0mm | 40-9/16" x 10-13/16" x 13-3/8"
1031.0 x 275.0 x 340.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk ES50 and Polk XT70 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 ES50 |
Polk XT70 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
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 ES50 and XT70 are 2-way speakers.
Polk ES50Polk XT70
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 ES50 |
Polk XT70 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the XT70 features a 1" Terylene dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
ES50 has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz whereas XT70 has a frequency range of 35-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the XT70 can go slightly deeper then the ES50's min frequency of 38Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
ES50 and XT70 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ES50 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the XT70's is at 86 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk ES50 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk XT70, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though ES50 is rated 40-200 watts and XT70 25-200 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
ES50 features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. XT70 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 ES50's and Polk XT70's external dimensions. 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) whereas Polk XT70 has external dimensions of 1031.0 x 275.0 x 340.0mm (40-9/16 x 10-13/16 x 13-3/8inch).
Polk XT70 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 84mm wider, 80mm taller and 59mm deeper than Polk ES50.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk ES50 and Polk XT70 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk ES50 and Polk XT70 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 ES50 is approximately 536.7cm2 / 83.2inch2 and base area of the Polk XT70 is approximately 935.0cm2 / 144.9inch2. The ES50 requires 43% less surface area than the XT70 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Polk ES50 weighs 14.50kg / 31.9lbs and the Polk XT70 weighs 15.91kg / 35lbs. This makes the XT70 10% heavier than the ES50.
Here is a comparison of how ES50 and XT70's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk ES50?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ES50:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Feet (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
What's in the Box of Polk XT70?
Here are the items that come with the XT70:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
951mm
vs
1031mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
536cm2
vs
935cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Passive Radiator |
two 8-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
| General |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES50 |
Polk Audio Monitor XT70 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
38-40k Hz |
35-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
Bi-laminate paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
951.0mm (37.4") |
1031.0mm (40.6") |
| Width |
191.0mm (7.5") |
275.0mm (10.8") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
14.50kg (31.9lbs) |
15.91kg (35lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF, Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF, Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Both are Polk Audio, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Polk XT70 digs deeper - 35Hz against 38Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Polk ES50 is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Polk ES50 is easier to place; Polk XT70 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Expandability | depends | Polk ES50: bi-amping; Polk XT70: Atmos drivers. Polk ES50 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($698 vs $698 a pair). |
A Polk ES50 B Polk XT70
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. In a large or open-plan room, Polk XT70 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Polk ES50 is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Polk ES50 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.