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Polk S20 vs Polk S10 Comparison

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Polk S20

Passive Bookshelf | 39-40k Hz

Polk Audio Signature S20
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Polk S10

Passive Bookshelf | 67-40k Hz

Polk Audio Signature S10
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Polk S20 Polk S20
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Polk S10 Polk S10
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Polk S20
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Polk S10
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Polk S20 vs Polk S10 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing S20 and S10, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Polk Audio

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk S20 and Polk S10 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Polk S20 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
  • 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
  • 39-40k Hz Frequency Response
  • 88 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:20-125watts
  • Weight:7.73kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 376.0" x 8.5" x 13.7"( 376.0 x 216.0 x 350.0mm )

Polk S10 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
  • 4" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
  • 67-40k Hz Frequency Response
  • 87 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:20-100watts
  • Weight:2.73kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 214.0" x 5.0" x 6.1"( 214.0 x 127.0 x 155.0mm )

S20 and S10 are members of Polk Audio's Signature S series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Polk Audio Signature S Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Polk S60
  
Floor-standing 26-40k Hz 90 dB8Ω 3 x 6.5"
Polk S20
Bookshelf 39-40k Hz 88 dB8Ω 1 x 6.5"
Polk S15
  
Bookshelf 50-40k Hz 88 dB8Ω 1 x 5.25"
Polk S55
  
Floor-standing 32-40k Hz 90 dB8Ω 2 x 6.5"
Polk S10
Bookshelf 67-40k Hz 87 dB8Ω 1 x 4"
Polk S50
  
Floor-standing 33-40k Hz 89 dB8Ω 2 x 5.25"

What size room are the Polk S20 and Polk S10 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 S20 Polk S10
Near-field Poor Average
Small Room Average Good
Mid-size Room Good Average
Large Room Average Poor
Very Large Room Poor Bad

(* 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 S20 and Polk S10 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 S20 and S10 are 2-way speakers.

Driver Polk S20 Polk S10
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 1 x 6.5-inch 1 x 4-inch

S20 features a 1" Terylene Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the S10 features a 1" Terylene Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.

Frequency Response

S20 has a frequency range of 39-40k Hz whereas S10 has a frequency range of 67-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 39Hz, the S20 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the S10's min frequency of 67Hz.

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 Bookshelf class in our database.

Low Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

S20
S10
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Polk S20
Polk S10
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

S20 and S10 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. S20 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the S10's is at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk S20 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk S10, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

S20
S10
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.

S20 can handle a max power of 125 watts RMS from the amp the whereas S10 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the S20.

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

S20 features 5-way post type posts and S10 has a 5-way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Polk S10 Terminals
Polk S10's 5-way post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both S20 and S10 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.

If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.

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 S20's and Polk S10's external dimensions. Polk S20 has external dimensions of 376.0 x 216.0 x 350.0mm ( 14.8 x 8.5 x 13.7inch) whereas Polk S10 has external dimensions of 214.0 x 127.0 x 155.0mm ( 8.4 x 5.0 x 6.1inch) .

Polk S20 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 89mm wider, 162mm taller and 195mm deeper than Polk S10.

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 S20 is approximately 756.0cm2 / 117.2inch2 and base area of the Polk S10 is approximately 196.9cm2 / 30.5inch2. The S20 requires 284% more surface area than the S10 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 S20 weighs 7.73kg / 17lbs and the Polk S10 weighs 2.73kg / 6lbs. This makes the S20 183% heavier than the S10.

Here is a comparison of how S20 and S10's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Polk S20
Polk S10
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of Polk S20?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of S20:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grilles (attached)
  • 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • Owners Manual
  • Online Product Registration
  • What's in the Box of Polk S10?

    Here are the items that come with the S10:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grille (attached)
  • 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • Wall-mount template
  • Owners Manual
  • Online Product Registration

  • Reasons to choose Polk Audio Signature S20 over Polk Audio Signature S10
    Max Input Power 125 watts vs 100 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Sensitivity 88 dB vs 87 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 6.5 inches vs 4 inches Larger woofer
    Low Frequency Response 39 Hz vs 67 Hz Generates deeper bass

    Reasons to choose Polk Audio Signature S10 over Polk Audio Signature S20

    Mounting Bracket Yes vs No Allows mounting on walls
    Height 214mm vs 376mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 196cm2 vs 756cm2 Takes less floor space
    Polk S20 vs Polk S10 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Polk Audio Signature S20 Polk Audio Signature S10
    Brand Polk Audio Polk Audio
    Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Satellite speakers
    Power Range 20-125 watts 20-100 watts
    Sensitivity 88 dB 87 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Frequency Response 39-40k Hz 67-40k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 1
    Woofer Size 6.5" 4"
    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 rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 376.0mm (14.8") 214.0mm (8.4")
    Width 216.0mm (8.5") 127.0mm (5")
    Depth 350.0mm (13.8") 155.0mm (6.1")
    Weight 7.73kg (17lbs) 2.73kg (6lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish Meddite MDF Meddite MDF
    Available Colors Black, Walnut, Brown Walnut Black
    Mounting Bracket No Keyhole
    Recommended Stand Height 24-28" 28-31"
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No No
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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