In this review, we will be comparing S55 and ES55, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk S55 and Polk ES55 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk S55 | Polk ES55 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene | 3 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-40k Hz | 34-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 40-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.00kg / 44lbs | 20.00kg / 44lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-9/16" x 11-3/4" x 12-3/8"
1056.0 x 299.0 x 315.0mm | 41-9/16" x 8-1/2" x 12-3/8"
1056.0 x 216.0 x 315.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk S55 and Polk ES55 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 S55 |
Polk ES55 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both S55 and ES55 are 2-way speakers.
Polk S55Polk ES55
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Polk S55 |
Polk ES55 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 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 ES55 features a 1" Terylene High-Res Soft-Dome Tweeter and 3 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
S55 has a frequency range of 32-40k Hz whereas ES55 has a frequency range of 34-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the S55 can go slightly deeper then the ES55's min frequency of 34Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
S55 and ES55 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. S55 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the ES55's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk S55 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES55, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though S55 is rated 20-200 watts and ES55 40-200 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both S55 and ES55 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
Both S55 and ES55 have bottom firing ports.
Polk S55 Port
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be 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 ES55'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 ES55 has external dimensions of 1056.0 x 216.0 x 315.0mm (41-9/16 x 8-1/2 x 12-3/8inch).
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk S55 and Polk ES55 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk S55 and Polk ES55 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 S55 is approximately 941.9cm2 / 146.0inch2 and base area of the Polk ES55 is approximately 680.4cm2 / 105.5inch2. The S55 requires 38% more surface area than the ES55 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 S55 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the Polk ES55 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs.
Here is a comparison of how S55 and ES55'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 loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Feet (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
What's in the Box of Polk ES55?
Here are the items that come with the ES55:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Feet (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
658USD
vs
898USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Base Surface Area |
680cm2
vs
941cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Polk Audio Signature S55 |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES55 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-40k Hz |
34-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl rubber |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1056.0mm (41.6") |
1056.0mm (41.6") |
| Width |
299.0mm (11.8") |
216.0mm (8.5") |
| Depth |
315.0mm (12.4") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Meddite MDF |
MDF, Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| 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 |
A generation apart: Polk ES55 is the newer design, against a 2016 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (32Hz vs 34Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Polk ES55 is easier to place; Polk S55 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Polk S55: bi-amping; Polk ES55: bi-amping. Polk ES55 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Polk S55 is cheaper - $658 against $898, about 27% less. |
A Polk S55 B Polk ES55
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $240 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.