In this review, we will be comparing S55 and RTi A5, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk S55 and Polk RTi A5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Polk S55 and Polk RTi A5 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 S55 and Polk RTi A5 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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Drivers
Both S55 and RTi A5 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk S55 |
Polk RTi A5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
S55 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the RTi A5 features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polymer composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
S55 has a frequency range of 32-40k Hz whereas RTi A5 has a frequency range of 40-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the S55 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the RTi A5's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
S55 and RTi A5 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 90 dB.
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.
S55 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas S55 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the RTi A5.
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 S55 and RTi A5 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Polk S55's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
S55 has a bottom firing port whereas RTi A5 has a front firing ports. Polk RTi A5's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Polk S55 with its rear-firing port.
Polk S55 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 S55's and Polk RTi A5's external dimensions. Polk S55 has external dimensions of 1056.0 x 299.0 x 315.0mm ( 41-9/16 x 11-3/4 x 12-3/8inch) whereas Polk RTi A5 has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 269.0 x 404.0mm ( 39-5/8 x 10-9/16 x 15-7/8inch) .
Polk RTi A5 is 30mm narrower and 49mm shorter than Polk S55 but it is also 89mm 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 S55 is approximately 941.9cm2 / 146.0inch2 and base area of the Polk RTi A5 is approximately 1086.8cm2 / 168.5inch2. The S55 requires 13% less surface area than the RTi A5 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 S55 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the Polk RTi A5 weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the S55 10% heavier than the RTi A5.
Here is a comparison of how S55 and RTi A5'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 S55?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of S55:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Feet (pre-installed)Owners ManualOnline Product Registration
What's in the Box of Polk RTi A5?
Here are the items that come with the RTi A5:
Cherry floor-standing speakerDetachable black cloth grille4 Screw-on spike feetOwners ManualOnline registration sheetPolk Audio product brochure
 Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
941cm2 (299x315mm)
vs
1086cm2 (269x404mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Height |
1007mm
vs
1056mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Polk Audio Signature S55 |
Polk Audio RTi A5 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
20-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-40k Hz |
40-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
Polymer composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1056.0mm (41.6") |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
| Width |
299.0mm (11.8") |
269.0mm (10.6") |
| Depth |
315.0mm (12.4") |
404.0mm (15.9") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Meddite MDF |
Real wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Cherry |
| 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 |