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Polk S20 vs Polk S50 Comparison

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Polk S20

Passive Bookshelf | 39-40k Hz

Polk Audio Signature S20
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Polk S50

Passive Floor-standing | 33-40k Hz

Polk Audio Signature S50
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Polk S20 Polk S20
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Polk S50 Polk S50
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Polk S20
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Polk S50
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Polk S20 vs Polk S50 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Signature S20 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the S50 is a Floor-standing speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk S20 and Polk S50 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 S50 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Dome Tweeter
  • 2 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
  • 33-40k Hz Frequency Response
  • 89 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:20-150watts
  • Weight:14.50kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 951.0" x 10-5/16" x 11-1/16"( 951.0 x 262.0 x 281.0mm )

S20 and S50 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 S50 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 S50
Near-field Poor Bad
Small Room Average Poor
Mid-size Room Good Good
Large Room Average 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 S20 and Polk S50 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 S50 are 2-way speakers.

Driver Polk S20 Polk S50
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 1 x 6.5-inch 2 x 5.25-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 S50 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.

Frequency Response

S20 has a frequency range of 39-40k Hz whereas S50 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the S50 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the S20's min frequency of 39Hz.

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
S50
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Polk S20
Polk S50
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 S50 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. S20 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the S50's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk S50 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk S20, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

S20
S50
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 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas S20 has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS , 25 watts less than the S50.

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

S50 features 5-way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. S20 has a 5-way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Polk S50 Terminals
Polk S50's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

S20 has a rear firing port whereas S50 has a bottom firing ports. Polk S50's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Polk S20 with its rear-firing port.

Polk S50  Port
Polk S50 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 S20's and Polk S50'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 S50 has external dimensions of 951.0 x 262.0 x 281.0mm ( 37-7/16 x 10-5/16 x 11-1/16inch) .

Polk S20 is 46mm narrower and 575mm shorter than Polk S50 but it is also 69mm deeper.

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 S50 is approximately 736.2cm2 / 114.1inch2. The S20 requires 3% more surface area than the S50 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

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 S50?

    Here are the items that come with the S50:
  • Floorstanding loudspeaker
  • Grille (attached)
  • 4 Feet (pre-installed)
  • Owners Manual
  • Online Product Registration

  • Reasons to choose Polk Audio Signature S20 over Polk Audio Signature S50
    Woofer Size 6.5 inches vs 5.25 inches Larger woofer
    Height 376mm vs 951mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces

    Reasons to choose Polk Audio Signature S50 over Polk Audio Signature S20

    Max Input Power 150 watts vs 125 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Sensitivity 89 dB vs 88 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 33 Hz vs 39 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring Yes vs No Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections
    Base Surface Area 736cm2 vs 756cm2 Takes less floor space
    Polk S20 vs Polk S50 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Polk Audio Signature S20 Polk Audio Signature S50
    Brand Polk Audio Polk Audio
    Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Floor-standing speaker
    Power Range 20-125 watts 20-150 watts
    Sensitivity 88 dB 89 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Frequency Response 39-40k Hz 33-40k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 2
    Woofer Size 6.5" 5.25"
    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 rear bottom
    Physical Specs
    Height 376.0mm (14.8") 951.0mm (37.4")
    Width 216.0mm (8.5") 262.0mm (10.3")
    Depth 350.0mm (13.8") 281.0mm (11.1")
    Weight 7.73kg (17lbs) 14.50kg (31.9lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish Meddite MDF Meddite MDF
    Available Colors Black, Walnut, Brown Walnut Black
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Recommended Stand Height 24-28" n/a
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No Yes
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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