In this review, we will be comparing ES50 and S55, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk ES50 and Polk S55 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk ES50 | Polk S55 |
|---|
| 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" Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-40k Hz | 32-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-200 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.50kg / 31.9lbs | 20.00kg / 44lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 41-9/16" x 11-3/4" x 12-3/8"
1056.0 x 299.0 x 315.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk ES50 and Polk S55 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 S55 |
| 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 S55 are 2-way speakers.
Polk ES50Polk S55
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 S55 |
|
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 S55 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
ES50 has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz whereas S55 has a frequency range of 32-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the S55 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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 S55 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ES50 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the S55's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk S55 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES50, 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 S55 20-200 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
Both ES50 and S55 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Polk S55's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both ES50 and S55 have bottom firing ports.
Polk S55 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 ES50's and Polk S55'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 S55 has external dimensions of 1056.0 x 299.0 x 315.0mm (41-9/16 x 11-3/4 x 12-3/8inch).
Polk S55 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 108mm wider, 105mm taller and 34mm deeper than Polk ES50.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk ES50 and Polk S55 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk ES50 and Polk S55 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 S55 is approximately 941.9cm2 / 146.0inch2. The ES50 requires 43% less surface area than the S55 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 S55 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs. This makes the S55 38% heavier than the ES50.
Here is a comparison of how ES50 and S55'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 S55?
Here are the items that come with the S55:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Feet (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
 Height |
951mm
vs
1056mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
536cm2
vs
941cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
658USD
vs
698USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES50 |
Polk Audio Signature S55 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
38-40k Hz |
32-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl rubber |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
951.0mm (37.4") |
1056.0mm (41.6") |
| Width |
191.0mm (7.5") |
299.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
14.50kg (31.9lbs) |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF, Wood-grain vinyl |
Meddite MDF |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Polk ES50 is the newer design, against a 2016 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Polk S55 digs deeper - 32Hz against 38Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Polk S55 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), 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 S55 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Polk ES50: bi-amping; Polk S55: bi-amping. 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 $658 a pair). |
A Polk ES50 B Polk S55
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?
Polk S55 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 38Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Polk S55 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.
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.