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Polk ES60 vs Polk R600 Comparison

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Polk ES60

Passive Floor-standing | 32-40k Hz

Polk Audio Signature Elite ES60
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Polk R600

Passive Floor-standing | 43-38k Hz

Polk Audio Reserve R600
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Polk ES60 Polk ES60
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Polk R600 Polk R600
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Polk ES60
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Polk R600
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Polk ES60 vs Polk R600 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing ES60 and R600, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk ES60 and Polk R600 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Polk ES60 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
  • 3 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
  • 32-40k Hz Frequency Response
  • 90 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:50-300watts
  • Weight:23.60kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1131.0" x 8-1/2" x 15-3/4"( 1131.0 x 216.0 x 401.0mm )

Polk R600 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
  • 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer
  • 43-38k Hz Frequency Response
  • 87.5 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:25-200watts
  • Weight:21.50kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1063.8" x 11" x 15"( 1063.8 x 280.7 x 381.6mm )

What size room are the Polk ES60 and Polk R600 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 Polk R600
Near-field Bad Bad
Small Room Poor Poor
Mid-size Room Average Good
Large Room Good Good
Very Large Room Average 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 ES60 and Polk R600 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 ES60 and R600 are 2-way speakers.

Driver Polk ES60 Polk R600
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 3 x 6.5-inch 2 x 6.5-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 R600 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.

Frequency Response

ES60 has a frequency range of 32-40k Hz whereas R600 has a frequency range of 43-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the ES60 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R600's min frequency of 43Hz.

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

ES60
R600
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Polk ES60
Polk R600
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

ES60 and R600 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ES60 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the R600's is at 87.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk ES60 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R600, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

ES60
R600
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.

ES60 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R600 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the ES60.

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

ES60 features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R600 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Polk R600Post Terminals
Polk R600's Post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both ES60 and R600 have bottom firing ports.

Polk R600  Port
Polk R600 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 ES60's and Polk R600'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 Polk R600 has external dimensions of 1063.8 x 280.7 x 381.6mm ( 41.9 x 11 x 15inch) .

Polk R600 is 67.2mm shorter and 19.4mm less deeper than Polk ES60 but it is also 64.7mm wider.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk ES60 and Polk R600 in scale.

Polk ES60 vs Polk R600 Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Polk ES60 and Polk R600 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 ES60 is approximately 866.2cm2 / 134.3inch2 and base area of the Polk R600 is approximately 1071.2cm2 / 166.0inch2. The ES60 requires 19% less surface area than the R600 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 Polk R600 weighs 21.50kg / 47.3lbs. This makes the ES60 10% heavier than the R600.

Here is a comparison of how ES60 and R600's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.

Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Polk ES60
Polk R600
Min
Average
Max

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 Polk R600?

    Here are the items that come with the R600:
  • Floorstanding loudspeaker
  • 4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
  • 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
  • 4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
  • Grille
  • Hex-key
  • Owner's Manual
  • Online Registration

  • Reasons to choose Polk Audio Signature Elite ES60 over Polk Audio Reserve R600
    Max Input Power 300 watts vs 200 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Sensitivity 90 dB vs 88 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Number of Woofers 3 vs 2 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 32 Hz vs 43 Hz Generates deeper bass
    High Frequency Response 40k Hz vs 38k Hz Generates higher frequency
    Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring Yes vs No Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections
    Base Surface Area 866cm2 vs 1071cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 1098USD vs 1698USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

    Reasons to choose Polk Audio Reserve R600 over Polk Audio Signature Elite ES60

    Height 1063mm vs 1131mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Polk ES60 vs Polk R600 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Polk Audio Signature Elite ES60 Polk Audio Reserve R600
    Brand Polk Audio Polk Audio
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Floor-standing speaker
    Power Range 50-300 watts 25-200 watts
    Sensitivity 90 dB 87.5 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance n/a 4 ohms
    Frequency Response 32-40k Hz 43-38k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 3 2
    Woofer Size 6.5" 6.5"
    Woofer Composition Mica-reinforced polypropylene Polypropylene Turbine Cone
    Woofer Surround Material Butyl rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type Soft-Dome Pinnacle Ring Radiator
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No No
    Crossover Frequency 2500Hz 2700Hz
    Firing Direction bottom bottom
    Physical Specs
    Height 1131.0mm (44.5") 1063.8mm (41.9")
    Width 216.0mm (8.5") 280.7mm (11.1")
    Depth 401.0mm (15.8") 381.6mm (15")
    Weight 23.60kg (51.9lbs) 21.50kg (47.3lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF, Wood-grain vinyl MDF/Vinyl
    Available Colors Black Black, Walnut, White
    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

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