In this review, we will be comparing S55 and S60, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk S55 and Polk S60 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
S55 and S60 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 S55 and Polk S60 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 S60 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 S55 and S60 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk S55 |
Polk S60 |
|
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 S60 features a 1" Terylene 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 S60 has a frequency range of 26-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the S60 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the S55's min frequency of 32Hz.
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 S60 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 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas S55 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the S60.
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 S60 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
Polk S60's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both S55 and S60 have bottom firing ports.
Polk S55 Port
Polk S60 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 S60'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 S60 has external dimensions of 1131.0 x 299.0 x 401.0mm ( 44-1/2 x 11-3/4 x 15-3/4inch) .
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 S60 is approximately 1199.0cm2 / 185.8inch2. The S55 requires 21% less surface area than the S60 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 S60 weighs 23.60kg / 51.9lbs. This makes the S60 18% heavier than the S55.
Here is a comparison of how S55 and S60'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 S60?
Here are the items that come with the S60:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Feet (pre-installed)Owners ManualOnline Product Registration
 Height |
1056mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
941cm2 (299x315mm)
vs
1199cm2 (299x401mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
658USD
vs
898USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Polk Audio Signature S55 |
Polk Audio Signature S60 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
20-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-40k Hz |
26-40k 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 |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1056.0mm (41.6") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
299.0mm (11.8") |
299.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
315.0mm (12.4") |
401.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
23.60kg (51.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Meddite MDF |
Meddite MDF |
| 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 |