In this review, we will be comparing T50 and S50, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk Audio T50 and Polk S50 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk Audio T50 | Polk S50 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper | 2 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-40k Hz | 33-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | 20-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.88kg / 34.9lbs | 14.50kg / 31.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-3/8" x 9-1/4" x 12-1/2"
1026.0 x 235.0 x 318.0mm | 37-7/16" x 10-5/16" x 11-1/16"
951.0 x 262.0 x 281.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk Audio T50 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 Audio T50 |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both T50 and S50 are 2-way speakers.
Polk Audio T50Polk S50
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 Audio T50 |
Polk S50 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
T50 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz. 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
T50 has a frequency range of 35-40k Hz whereas S50 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the S50 can go slightly deeper then the T50's min frequency of 35Hz.
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
T50 and S50 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 89 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
T50 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas S50 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the T50.
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
S50 features 5-way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. T50 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
Polk S50 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 Audio T50's and Polk S50's external dimensions. Polk Audio T50 has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 235.0 x 318.0mm (40-3/8 x 9-1/4 x 12-1/2inch) 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 S50 is 75mm shorter and 37mm less deeper than Polk Audio T50 but it is also 27mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Near-identical footprints. Polk Audio T50 is 37mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Polk Audio T50 is 75mm taller.
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 Audio T50 is approximately 747.3cm2 / 115.8inch2 and base area of the Polk S50 is approximately 736.2cm2 / 114.1inch2. The T50 requires 2% more surface area than the S50 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 Audio T50 weighs 15.88kg / 34.9lbs and the Polk S50 weighs 14.50kg / 31.9lbs. This makes the T50 10% heavier than the S50.
Here is a comparison of how T50 and S50'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 S50?
Here are the items that come with the S50:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Feet (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Passive Radiator |
2 x 8-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
|
Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
951mm
vs
1026mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
736cm2
vs
747cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Polk Audio T50 |
Polk Audio Signature S50 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
20-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
35-40k Hz |
33-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Bi-laminate paper |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2700Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
951.0mm (37.4") |
| Width |
235.0mm (9.3") |
262.0mm (10.3") |
| Depth |
318.0mm (12.5") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
15.88kg (34.9lbs) |
14.50kg (31.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
Meddite MDF |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| 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 |
Both are Polk Audio, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (35Hz vs 33Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Polk Audio T50 takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability | B | Polk S50: bi-amping. Polk S50 sits in a wider range (6 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($498 vs $498 a pair). |
A Polk Audio T50 B Polk S50
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. Match it to your room: we rate Polk Audio T50 the better fit for a small room, and Polk S50 for a large room.
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.