In this review, we will be comparing ES60 and BP-9020, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk ES60 and Definitive BP-9020 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk ES60 | Definitive BP-9020 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 3 x 3.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene | 8" Polypropelene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-40k Hz | 28-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 50-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 23.60kg / 51.9lbs | 13.64kg / 30lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44-1/2" x 8-1/2" x 15-3/4"
1131.0 x 216.0 x 401.0mm | 35-9/16" x 11-1/16" x 13-13/16"
904.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk ES60 and Definitive BP-9020 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 ES60 |
Definitive BP-9020 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that ES60 is a 2-way design whereas the BP-9020 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Polk ES60Definitive BP-9020
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Polk ES60 |
Definitive BP-9020 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
3 x 3.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
ES60 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 BP-9020 features a 1" annealed aluminum dome Tweeter, a 3.5" Midrange and 1 x 8" Polypropelene Woofer.
Frequency Response
ES60 has a frequency range of 32-40k Hz whereas BP-9020 has a frequency range of 28-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the BP-9020 can go slightly deeper then the ES60's min frequency of 32Hz.
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
ES60 and BP-9020 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ES60 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the BP-9020's is at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Definitive BP-9020 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES60, 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.
ES60 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas BP-9020 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the ES60.
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
ES60 features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. BP-9020 has a 5-Way post, RCA 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 ES60's and Definitive BP-9020's external dimensions. Polk ES60 has external dimensions of 1131.0 x 216.0 x 401.0mm (44-1/2 x 8-1/2 x 15-3/4inch) whereas Definitive BP-9020 has external dimensions of 904.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm (35-9/16 x 11-1/16 x 13-13/16inch).
Definitive BP-9020 is 227mm shorter and 50mm less deeper than Polk ES60 but it is also 65mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Definitive BP-9020 needs about 14% more floor or shelf area. Polk ES60 is 50mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Polk ES60 is 227mm taller.
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 ES60 is approximately 866.2cm2 / 134.3inch2 and base area of the Definitive BP-9020 is approximately 986.3cm2 / 152.9inch2. The ES60 requires 12% less surface area than the BP-9020 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 ES60 weighs 23.60kg / 51.9lbs and the Definitive BP-9020 weighs 13.64kg / 30lbs. This makes the ES60 73% heavier than the BP-9020.
Here is a comparison of how ES60 and BP-9020'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 ES60?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ES60:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Feet (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
What's in the Box of Definitive BP-9020?
Here are the items that come with the BP-9020:
- Tower loudspeaker
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- Top-plate (installed)
- Stabilizer base
- 4 Floor guides
- 4 Carpet spikes
- 4 Screws
- 4 Nuts
- Owners Manual
- What Obsession Sounds Like card
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Base Surface Area |
866cm2
vs
986cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1098USD
vs
1498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
904mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES60 |
Definitive Technology BP-9020 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Definitive Technology |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
50-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-40k Hz |
28-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
Polypropelene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
3.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
904.0mm (35.6") |
| Width |
216.0mm (8.5") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
401.0mm (15.8") |
351.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
23.60kg (51.9lbs) |
13.64kg (30lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF, Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Aluminum/Cloth |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Polk ES60 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 | Definitive BP-9020 digs deeper - 28Hz against 32Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Definitive BP-9020 is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Polk ES60 takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Polk ES60: bi-amping; Definitive BP-9020: Atmos drivers. Polk ES60 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Polk ES60 is cheaper - $1,098 against $1,498, about 27% less. |
A Polk ES60 B Definitive BP-9020
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?
Definitive BP-9020 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 36% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Polk ES60 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Definitive BP-9020 appeals to you. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Definitive BP-9020 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $400 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.