In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio T50 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the T15 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk Audio T50 and Polk Audio T15 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk Audio T50 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper Woofer
- 35-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:15.88kg
- 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 )
Polk Audio T15 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 0.75" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Mineral-filled polymer composite Woofer
- 45-24k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-100watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 10-5/8" x 6-1/2" x 7-1/4" ( 270.0 x 165.0 x 184.0mm )
T50 and T15 are members of Polk Audio's T series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the Polk Audio T50 and Polk Audio T15 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 Audio T15 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 Audio T50 and Polk Audio T15 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 T50 and T15 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk Audio T50 |
Polk Audio T15 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 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 T15 features a 0.75" Silk/polymer composite Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Mineral-filled polymer composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
T50 has a frequency range of 35-40k Hz whereas T15 has a frequency range of 45-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the T50 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the T15's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
T50 and T15 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. 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.
T50 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas T15 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the T50.
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
T50 features 5-way post type posts and T15 has a 5-way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Audio T50's and Polk Audio T15'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 Audio T15 has external dimensions of 270.0 x 165.0 x 184.0mm ( 10-5/8 x 6-1/2 x 7-1/4inch) .
Polk Audio T50 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 70mm wider, 756mm taller and 134mm deeper than Polk Audio T15.
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 Audio T15 is approximately 303.6cm2 / 47.1inch2. The T50 requires 146% more surface area than the T15 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.