SpeakerDecision
  • SPEAKERS by TYPE
    • Passive Bookshelf Speakers
    • Passive Floor-standing Speakers
    • Passive Center Channel Speakers
    • Passive In-wall Speakers
    • All Passive Speakers
    • Powered Subwoofers
    • Powered Stereo Speakers
  • AMPLIFIERS
  • SMART FIND

Polk ES55 vs Polk S55 Comparison

x
Speaker to replace
Change

Polk ES55

Passive Floor-standing | 34-40k Hz

Polk Audio Signature Elite ES55
CHECK PRICE
Change
    
Polk S55

Passive Floor-standing | 32-40k Hz

Polk Audio Signature S55
CHECK PRICE
Polk ES55 Polk ES55
See at AMAZON
Polk S55 Polk S55
See at AMAZON
Polk ES55
See at AMAZON
Polk S55
See at AMAZON
Polk ES55 vs Polk S55 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing ES55 and S55, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk ES55 and Polk S55 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Polk ES55 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
  • 3 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
  • 34-40k Hz Frequency Response
  • 89 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:40-200watts
  • Weight:20.00kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1056.0" x 8-1/2" x 12-3/8"( 1056.0 x 216.0 x 315.0mm )

Polk S55 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Dome Tweeter
  • 2 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
  • 32-40k Hz Frequency Response
  • 90 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:20-200watts
  • Weight:20.00kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1056.0" x 11-3/4" x 12-3/8"( 1056.0 x 299.0 x 315.0mm )

What size room are the Polk ES55 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 ES55 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk ES55 and Polk S55 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both ES55 and S55 are 2-way speakers.

Driver Polk ES55 Polk S55
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 3 x 6.5-inch 2 x 6.5-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 S55 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.

Frequency Response

ES55 has a frequency range of 34-40k Hz whereas S55 has a frequency range of 32-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the S55 can go slightly deeper then the ES55's min frequency of 34Hz.

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

ES55
S55
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Polk ES55
Polk S55
Min
Average
Max

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 S55 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ES55 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the S55's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk S55 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES55, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

ES55
S55
Min
Average
Max

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.

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 S55 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

Polk S55 Terminals
Polk S55's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both ES55 and S55 have bottom firing ports.

Polk S55  Port
Polk S55 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 ES55's and Polk S55'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 S55 has external dimensions of 1056.0 x 299.0 x 315.0mm ( 41-9/16 x 11-3/4 x 12-3/8inch) .

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 S55 is approximately 941.9cm2 / 146.0inch2. The ES55 requires 28% 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 ES55 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the Polk S55 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs.

Here is a comparison of how ES55 and S55's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.

Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Polk ES55
Polk S55
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of Polk ES55?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of ES55:
  • 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

  • Reasons to choose Polk Audio Signature Elite ES55 over Polk Audio Signature S55
    Number of Woofers 3 vs 2 More woofers
    Base Surface Area 680cm2 vs 941cm2 Takes less floor space

    Reasons to choose Polk Audio Signature S55 over Polk Audio Signature Elite ES55

    Sensitivity 90 dB vs 89 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Low Frequency Response 32 Hz vs 34 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Price per pair* 658USD vs 898USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    Polk ES55 vs Polk S55 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Polk Audio Signature Elite ES55 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 89 dB 90 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Frequency Response 34-40k Hz 32-40k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 3 2
    Woofer Size 6.5" 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 1056.0mm (41.6") 1056.0mm (41.6")
    Width 216.0mm (8.5") 299.0mm (11.8")
    Depth 315.0mm (12.4") 315.0mm (12.4")
    Weight 20.00kg (44lbs) 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

    Most Popular Speakers
    Klipsch Reference R-51M
    Klipsch R-51M
    2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
    Wharfedale Elysian 2
    Wharfedale Elysian 2
    3-way | 89 dB | 4 ohms
    ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
    ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
    2-way | 87 dB | 6 ohms
    Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition
    B&W 606 S2
    2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
    KEF Q150
    KEF Q150
    2-way | 86 dB | 8 ohms
    Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-500M
    Klipsch RP-500M
    2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
    Wharfedale EVO4.1
    Wharfedale EVO4.1
    2-way | 87 dB | 8 ohms
    Bowers & Wilkins 606
    B&W 606
    2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
    Copyright © 2025 by SpeakerDecision
    About Privacy Contact US Camera Decision

    Report a Correction