In this review, we will be comparing Q Acoustics 5040 and R600, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Q Acoustics and Polk Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics 5040 and Polk R600 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Q Acoustics 5040 and Polk R600 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Q Acoustics 5040 and Polk R600 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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Drivers
Both Q Acoustics 5040 and R600 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Q Acoustics 5040 |
Polk R600 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Q Acoustics 5040 features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuous Curved Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500 Hz. On the other hand, the R600 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Q Acoustics 5040 has a frequency range of 39-30k Hz whereas R600 has a frequency range of 43-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 39Hz, the Q Acoustics 5040 can go slightly deeper then the R600's min frequency of 43Hz.
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
Q Acoustics 5040 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the R600 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Q Acoustics 5040 sensitivity is rated at 91.5 dB and the R600's is rated at 87.5 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Q Acoustics 5040 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R600, 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. 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.
Q Acoustics 5040 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Q Acoustics 5040 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the R600.
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
Q Acoustics 5040 features Post type posts and R600 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Q Acoustics 5040's Binding post terminals
Polk R600's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Q Acoustics 5040 has a rear firing port whereas R600 has a bottom firing ports. Polk R600's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Q Acoustics 5040 with its rear-firing port.
Polk R600 Port
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 Q Acoustics 5040's and Polk R600's external dimensions. Q Acoustics 5040 has external dimensions of 969.0 x 362.0 x 293.0mm ( 38-1/8inch x 14-1/4inch x 11-1/2inch ) whereas Polk R600 has external dimensions of 1063.8 x 280.7 x 381.6mm ( 41.9 x 11 x 15inch) .
Q Acoustics 5040 is 94.8mm shorter and 88.6mm less deeper than Polk R600 but it is also 81.3mm 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 Q Acoustics 5040 is approximately 1060.7cm2 / 164.4inch2 and base area of the Polk R600 is approximately 1071.2cm2 / 166.0inch2. The Q Acoustics 5040 requires 1% less surface area than the R600 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 Q Acoustics 5040 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs and the Polk R600 weighs 21.50kg / 47.3lbs. This makes the R600 19% heavier than the Q Acoustics 5040.
Here is a comparison of how Q Acoustics 5040 and R600'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 Q Acoustics 5040?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Q Acoustics 5040:
1x 5040 loudspeaker1x Owners manual 2x Foam bung4x Spike feet 4x Spike cover 4x M5 screw 2x Rear stabiliser
What's in the Box of Polk R600?
Here are the items that come with the R600:
Floorstanding loudspeaker
4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
Grille
Hex-key
Owner's Manual
Online Registration
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
39 Hz
vs
43 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
969mm
vs
1063mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1060cm2 (362x293mm)
vs
1071cm2 (280x381mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1498USD
vs
1698USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Minimum Impedance |
4 ohms
vs
3.0 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
| Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Q Acoustics 5040 |
Polk Audio Reserve R600 |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91.5 dB |
87.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.0 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
39-30k Hz |
43-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Continuous Curved Cone |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-dome |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500 Hz |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
969.0mm (38.1") |
1063.8mm (41.9") |
| Width |
362.0mm (14.3") |
280.7mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
293.0mm (11.5") |
381.6mm (15") |
| Weight |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
21.50kg (47.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Relfex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Holme Oak,Satin Black,Satin White,Santos Rosewood |
Black, Walnut, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |