In this review, we will be comparing ES55 and ES50, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk ES55 and Polk ES50 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
ES55 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 ES55 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk ES55 and Polk ES50 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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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both ES55 and ES50 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk ES55 |
Polk ES50 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
ES55 features a 1" Terylene High-Res Soft-Dome Tweeter and 3 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
ES55 has a frequency range of 34-40k Hz whereas ES50 has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the ES55 can go slightly deeper then the ES50's min frequency of 38Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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
ES55 and ES50 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ES55 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the ES50's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk ES55 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. 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.
ES55 and ES50 has the same power range of 40-200 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
Both ES55 and ES50 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both ES55 and ES50 have bottom firing ports.
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 ES55's and Polk ES50's external dimensions. Polk ES55 has external dimensions of 1056.0 x 216.0 x 315.0mm ( 41-9/16 x 8-1/2 x 12-3/8inch) 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 ES55 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 25mm wider, 105mm taller and 34mm deeper than Polk ES50.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk ES55 and Polk ES50 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk ES55 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 ES55 is approximately 680.4cm2 / 105.5inch2 and base area of the Polk ES50 is approximately 536.7cm2 / 83.2inch2. The ES55 requires 27% more surface area than the ES50 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 ES55 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the Polk ES50 weighs 14.50kg / 31.9lbs. This makes the ES55 38% heavier than the ES50.
Here is a comparison of how ES55 and ES50'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 ES55?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ES55:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Feet (pre-installed)Owners ManualOnline Product Registration
What's in the Box of Polk ES50?
Here are the items that come with the ES50:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Feet (pre-installed)Owners ManualOnline Product Registration
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
951mm
vs
1056mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
536cm2 (191x281mm)
vs
680cm2 (216x315mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
698USD
vs
898USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES55 |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES50 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
34-40k Hz |
38-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl rubber |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1056.0mm (41.6") |
951.0mm (37.4") |
| Width |
216.0mm (8.5") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
315.0mm (12.4") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
14.50kg (31.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF, Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF, Wood-grain vinyl |
| 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 |