In this review, we will be comparing TSi300 and S50, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk TSi300 and Polk S50 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk TSi300 | Polk S50 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Organic Fiber | 2 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 47-24k Hz | 33-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-150 watts | 20-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.82kg / 26lbs | 14.50kg / 31.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 36-1/4" x 8-3/16" x 11-3/4"
921.0 x 208.0 x 299.0mm | 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 TSi300 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 TSi300 |
Polk S50 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
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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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both TSi300 and S50 are 2-way speakers.
Polk TSi300Polk 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 TSi300 |
Polk S50 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
TSi300 features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Organic Fiber Woofer. 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
TSi300 has a frequency range of 47-24k Hz whereas S50 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the S50 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the TSi300's min frequency of 47Hz.
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
TSi300 and S50 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. TSi300 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the S50's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk TSi300 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk S50, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
TSi300 and S50 have the same power range of 20-150 watts.
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
Both TSi300 and S50 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Polk S50's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both TSi300 and S50 have bottom firing ports.
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 TSi300's and Polk S50's external dimensions. Polk TSi300 has external dimensions of 921.0 x 208.0 x 299.0mm (36-1/4 x 8-3/16 x 11-3/4inch) 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 TSi300 is 54mm narrower and 30mm shorter than Polk S50 but it is also 18mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk TSi300 and Polk S50 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk TSi300 and Polk S50 Size and External Dimensions
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 TSi300 is approximately 621.9cm2 / 96.4inch2 and base area of the Polk S50 is approximately 736.2cm2 / 114.1inch2. The TSi300 requires 16% less surface area than the S50 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 TSi300 weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs and the Polk S50 weighs 14.50kg / 31.9lbs. This makes the S50 23% heavier than the TSi300.
Here is a comparison of how TSi300 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 TSi300?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of TSi300:
- Tower speaker
- Detachable cloth grille (installed)
- Owners Manual
- Wall-Mount template
- Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure
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
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
921mm
vs
951mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
621cm2
vs
736cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
358USD
vs
498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
47 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Polk Audio TSi300 |
Polk Audio Signature S50 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-150 watts |
20-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
47-24k Hz |
33-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Organic Fiber |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
921.0mm (36.3") |
951.0mm (37.4") |
| Width |
208.0mm (8.2") |
262.0mm (10.3") |
| Depth |
299.0mm (11.8") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
14.50kg (31.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Wood-grain vinyl |
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 |
A generation apart: Polk S50 is the newer design, against a 2011 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
Polk S50 digs deeper - 33Hz against 47Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability |
depends |
Polk TSi300: bi-amping; Polk S50: bi-amping. |
| Price |
A |
Polk TSi300 is cheaper - $358 against $498, about 28% less. |
A Polk TSi300
B Polk S50
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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 S50 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 28% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Polk TSi300 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Polk S50 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 47Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Polk TSi300 much easier to justify. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $140 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.