In this review, we will be comparing TSi CS10 and Monitor XT30, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk TSi CS10 and Polk XT30 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk TSi CS10 | Polk XT30 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dynamic Balance | 1" High-res dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" bi-laminate organic fiber cone | 2 x 5.25" bi-laminate paper cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 63-24k Hz | 55-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-125 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.27kg / 16lbs | 5.91kg / 13lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 6-9/16" x 20-1/16" x 9-15/16"
167.0 x 510.0 x 253.0mm | 6-1/2" x 19-1/16" x 8-3/16"
166.0 x 485.0 x 208.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk TSi CS10 and Polk XT30 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 TSi CS10 |
Polk XT30 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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 TSi CS10 and Monitor XT30 are 2-way speakers.
Polk TSi CS10Polk XT30
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 TSi CS10 |
Polk XT30 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
TSi CS10 features a 1" silk dome Dynamic Balance Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" bi-laminate organic fiber cone Woofer. On the other hand, the Monitor XT30 features a 1" Terylene High-res dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" bi-laminate paper cone Woofer.
Frequency Response
TSi CS10 has a frequency range of 63-24k Hz whereas Monitor XT30 has a frequency range of 55-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the Monitor XT30 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the TSi CS10's min frequency of 63Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
TSi CS10 and Monitor XT30 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. TSi CS10 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Monitor XT30's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk TSi CS10 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk XT30, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
Monitor XT30 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas TSi CS10 has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 75 watts less than the Monitor XT30.
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
TSi CS10 features 5-Way post type posts and Monitor XT30 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk XT30's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both TSi CS10 and Monitor XT30 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 TSi CS10's and Polk XT30's external dimensions. Polk TSi CS10 has external dimensions of 167.0 x 510.0 x 253.0mm (6-9/16 x 20-1/16 x 9-15/16inch) whereas Polk XT30 has external dimensions of 166.0 x 485.0 x 208.0mm (6-1/2 x 19-1/16 x 8-3/16inch).
Polk TSi CS10 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 25mm wider, 1mm taller and 45mm deeper than Polk XT30.
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.
Polk TSi CS10 needs about 28% more floor or shelf area. Polk TSi CS10 is 45mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 TSi CS10 is approximately 1290.3cm2 / 200.0inch2 and base area of the Polk XT30 is approximately 1008.8cm2 / 156.4inch2. The TSi CS10 requires 28% more surface area than the Monitor XT30 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 TSi CS10 weighs 7.27kg / 16lbs and the Polk XT30 weighs 5.91kg / 13lbs. This makes the TSi CS10 23% heavier than the Monitor XT30.
Here is a comparison of how TSi CS10 and Monitor XT30's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk TSi CS10?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of TSi CS10:
- Black center-channel speaker (removable cloth grille)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure
What's in the Box of Polk XT30?
Here are the items that come with the Monitor XT30:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
- Wall-Mount Template
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Price per pair* |
119USD
vs
199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
125 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
55 Hz
vs
63 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
166mm
vs
167mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1008cm2
vs
1290cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Polk Audio TSi CS10 |
Polk Audio Monitor XT30 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker (Black) |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-125 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
63-24k Hz |
55-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
bi-laminate organic fiber cone |
bi-laminate paper cone |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dynamic Balance |
High-res dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
167.0mm (6.6") |
166.0mm (6.5") |
| Width |
510.0mm (20.1") |
485.0mm (19.1") |
| Depth |
253.0mm (10") |
208.0mm (8.2") |
| Weight |
7.27kg (16lbs) |
5.91kg (13lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Polk XT30 costs roughly 1.7x what Polk TSi CS10 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Polk XT30 digs deeper - 55Hz against 63Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Polk TSi CS10 is more sensitive (91dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Polk XT30 takes more power (200W vs 125W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Polk XT30 is easier to place; Polk TSi CS10 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Polk XT30 sits in a wider range (9 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Polk TSi CS10 is cheaper - $119 against $199, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A Polk TSi CS10 B Polk XT30
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?
Polk XT30 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 67% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Polk TSi CS10 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Polk XT30 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 63Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Polk TSi CS10 much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Polk TSi CS10 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.