In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio TSi CS10 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the TSi400 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk TSi CS10 and Polk TSi400 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk TSi CS10 | Polk TSi400 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dynamic Balance | 1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" bi-laminate organic fiber cone | 3 x 5.25" Organic Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 63-24k Hz | 44-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-125 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.27kg / 16lbs | 14.55kg / 32lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 38-3/4" x 8-3/16" x 14-1/2"
985.0 x 208.0 x 369.0mm |
|---|
TSi CS10 and TSi400 are members of Polk Audio's TSi series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the Polk TSi CS10 and Polk TSi400 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 TSi400 |
| 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.
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Drivers
Both TSi CS10 and TSi400 are 2-way speakers.
Polk TSi CS10Polk TSi400
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 TSi400 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
3 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 TSi400 features a 1" Tweeter and 3 x 5.25" Organic Fiber Woofer.
Frequency Response
TSi CS10 has a frequency range of 63-24k Hz whereas TSi400 has a frequency range of 44-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the TSi400 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 TSi400 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 91 dB.
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.
TSi400 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 TSi400.
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
TSi400 features 5-way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. TSi CS10 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
TSi CS10 has a rear firing port whereas TSi400 has a bottom firing ports. Polk TSi400's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Polk TSi CS10 with its rear-firing 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 TSi CS10's and Polk TSi400'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 TSi400 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 208.0 x 369.0mm (38-3/4 x 8-3/16 x 14-1/2inch).
Polk TSi CS10 is 818mm shorter and 116mm less deeper than Polk TSi400 but it is also 302mm wider.
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 TSi400 is approximately 767.5cm2 / 119.0inch2. The TSi CS10 requires 68% more surface area than the TSi400 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 TSi400?
Here are the items that come with the TSi400:
- Tower speaker
- Detachable cloth grille (installed)
- Owners Manual
- Wall-Mount template
- Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure