In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Signature S50 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the S20 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk S50 and Polk S20 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
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 )
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 )
S50 and S20 are members of Polk Audio's Signature S series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the Polk S50 and Polk S20 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 S50 |
Polk S20 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| 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 S50 and Polk S20 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both S50 and S20 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk S50 |
Polk S20 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
S50 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the S20 features a 1" Terylene Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
S50 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz whereas S20 has a frequency range of 39-40k 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 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
S50 and S20 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. S50 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the S20's is at 88 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
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.
S50 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's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
S50 has a bottom firing port whereas S20 has a rear 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
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 S50's and Polk S20's external dimensions. 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) whereas Polk S20 has external dimensions of 376.0 x 216.0 x 350.0mm ( 14.8 x 8.5 x 13.7inch) .
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 S50 is approximately 736.2cm2 / 114.1inch2 and base area of the Polk S20 is approximately 756.0cm2 / 117.2inch2. The S50 requires 3% less surface area than the S20 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Polk S50?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of S50:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Feet (pre-installed)Owners ManualOnline Product Registration
What's in the Box of Polk S20?
Here are the items that come with the S20:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Grilles (attached)8 Self-adhesive rubber feetOwners ManualOnline Product Registration
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Number of Woofers 
Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring 
Base Surface Area 
Height