In this review, we will be comparing ES60 and R700, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk ES60 and Polk R700 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Polk ES60 and Polk R700 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 ES60 and Polk R700 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that ES60 is a 2-way design whereas the R700 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.
| Driver |
Polk ES60 |
Polk R700 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 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 R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
ES60 has a frequency range of 32-40k Hz whereas R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the ES60 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R700'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
ES60 and R700 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ES60 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the R700's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk ES60 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R700, 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.
ES60 and R700 has the same power range of 50-300 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 ES60 and R700 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both ES60 and R700 have bottom firing ports.
Polk R700 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 R700'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 R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm ( 45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch) .
Polk R700 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 104.7mm wider, 12.8mm taller and 27.3mm deeper than Polk ES60.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk ES60 and Polk R700 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk ES60 and Polk R700 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 R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2. The ES60 requires 37% less surface area than the R700 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 R700 weighs 35.90kg / 79lbs. This makes the R700 52% heavier than the ES60.
Here is a comparison of how ES60 and R700'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 loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Feet (pre-installed)Owners ManualOnline Product Registration
What's in the Box of Polk R700?
Here are the items that come with the R700:
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
 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
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
38k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1131mm
vs
1143mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
866cm2 (216x401mm)
vs
1373cm2 (320x428mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1098USD
vs
2198USD
|
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 |
| Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES60 |
Polk Audio Reserve R700 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-40k Hz |
38-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
350Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
1143.8mm (45") |
| Width |
216.0mm (8.5") |
320.7mm (12.6") |
| Depth |
401.0mm (15.8") |
428.3mm (16.9") |
| Weight |
23.60kg (51.9lbs) |
35.90kg (79lbs) |
| 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 |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |