In this review, we will be comparing SS-CS5 and TSi100, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Sony and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sony SS-CS5 and Polk TSi100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sony SS-CS5 | Polk TSi100 |
|---|
| Brand | Sony
Japan · founded 1946 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Super tweeter | 0.75" super tweeter | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) | 5.25" Organic Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 53-50k Hz | 61-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 100 watts | 20-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.50kg / 9.9lbs | 4.53kg / 10lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.1" x 7.0" x 8.6"
335.0 x 178.0 x 220.0mm | 11.0" x 7.0" x 10.1"
279.4 x 177.8 x 259.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Sony SS-CS5 and Polk TSi100 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* |
Sony SS-CS5 |
Polk TSi100 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that SS-CS5 is a 3-way design whereas the TSi100 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Sony SS-CS5Polk TSi100
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Sony SS-CS5 |
Polk TSi100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Super Tweeter
|
0.75-inch |
- |
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
SS-CS5 features a 1" polyester fiber Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 0.75" Supertweeter and 1 x 5.25" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer. On the other hand, the TSi100 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Organic Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
SS-CS5 has a frequency range of 53-50k Hz whereas TSi100 has a frequency range of 61-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 53Hz, the SS-CS5 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the TSi100's min frequency of 61Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
SS-CS5 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the TSi100 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. SS-CS5 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the TSi100's is rated at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk TSi100 a more sensitive speaker compared to Sony SS-CS5, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 100 watts RMS, though SS-CS5 is rated up to 100 watts and TSi100 20-100 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
SS-CS5 features Pair of 5-way Binding Posts - Gold-Plated type posts and TSi100 has a Pair of 5-way Binding Posts - Gold-Plated type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Sony SS-CS5's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both SS-CS5 and TSi100 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 Sony SS-CS5's and Polk TSi100's external dimensions. Sony SS-CS5 has external dimensions of 335.0 x 178.0 x 220.0mm (13.1 x 7.0 x 8.6inch) whereas Polk TSi100 has external dimensions of 279.4 x 177.8 x 259.0mm (11.0 x 7.0 x 10.1inch).
Polk TSi100 is 0.19999999999999mm narrower and 55.6mm shorter than Sony SS-CS5 but it is also 39mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony SS-CS5 and Polk TSi100 in scale.
Comparison image of Sony SS-CS5 and Polk TSi100 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 Sony SS-CS5 is approximately 391.6cm2 / 60.7inch2 and base area of the Polk TSi100 is approximately 460.5cm2 / 71.4inch2. The SS-CS5 requires 15% less surface area than the TSi100 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Sony SS-CS5 and Polk TSi100 on a Media Console
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 Sony SS-CS5 weighs 4.50kg / 9.9lbs and the Polk TSi100 weighs 4.53kg / 10lbs. This makes the TSi100 1% heavier than the SS-CS5.
Here is a comparison of how SS-CS5 and TSi100's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk TSi100?
Here are the items that come with the TSi100:
- 2 Black bookshelf speakers
- Detachable cloth grille (installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owner's Manual
- Wall-Mount template
- Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
53 Hz
vs
61 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
391cm2
vs
460cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
148USD
vs
149USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Mounting Bracket |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows mounting on walls |
 Height |
279mm
vs
335mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Sony SS-CS5 |
Polk Audio TSi100 |
| Brand |
Sony |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
up to 100 watts |
20-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
53-50k Hz |
61-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) |
Organic Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
335.0mm (13.2") |
279.4mm (11") |
| Width |
178.0mm (7") |
177.8mm (7") |
| Depth |
220.0mm (8.7") |
259.0mm (10.2") |
| Weight |
4.50kg (9.9lbs) |
4.53kg (10lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black, Cherry |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
Keyhole |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
16-30" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Sony SS-CS5 digs deeper - 53Hz against 61Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Polk TSi100 is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Polk TSi100 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($148 vs $149 a pair). |
A Sony SS-CS5 B Polk TSi100
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 TSi100 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 61Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Polk TSi100 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.