In this review, we will be comparing SS-CS5 and TSi200, 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 TSi200 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sony SS-CS5 | Polk TSi200 |
|---|
| 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) | 2 x 5.25" Organic Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 53-50k Hz | 50-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 100 watts | 20-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.50kg / 9.9lbs | 7.71kg / 17lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.1" x 7.0" x 8.6"
335.0 x 178.0 x 220.0mm | 15.4" x 8.0" x 11.7"
392.1 x 203.2 x 298.5mm |
|---|
What size room are the Sony SS-CS5 and Polk TSi200 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 TSi200 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that SS-CS5 is a 3-way design whereas the TSi200 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 TSi200
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 TSi200 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Super Tweeter
|
0.75-inch |
- |
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 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 TSi200 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 2 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 TSi200 has a frequency range of 50-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the TSi200 can go slightly deeper then the SS-CS5's min frequency of 53Hz.
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 TSi200 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 TSi200's is rated at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk TSi200 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.
TSi200 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas SS-CS5 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the TSi200.
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 TSi200 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 TSi200 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 TSi200'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 TSi200 has external dimensions of 392.1 x 203.2 x 298.5mm (15.4 x 8.0 x 11.7inch).
Polk TSi200 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 25.2mm wider, 57.1mm taller and 78.5mm deeper than Sony SS-CS5.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony SS-CS5 and Polk TSi200 in scale.
Comparison image of Sony SS-CS5 and Polk TSi200 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 TSi200 is approximately 606.6cm2 / 94.0inch2. The SS-CS5 requires 35% less surface area than the TSi200 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 TSi200 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 TSi200 weighs 7.71kg / 17lbs. This makes the TSi200 71% heavier than the SS-CS5.
Here is a comparison of how SS-CS5 and TSi200'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 TSi200?
Here are the items that come with the TSi200:
- 2 Black bookshelf speakers
- Detachable cloth grille (installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owner's Manual Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
335mm
vs
392mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
391cm2
vs
606cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
148USD
vs
279USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 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 |
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
53 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Sony SS-CS5 |
Polk Audio TSi200 |
| Brand |
Sony |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
up to 100 watts |
20-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
53-50k Hz |
50-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| 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") |
392.1mm (15.4") |
| Width |
178.0mm (7") |
203.2mm (8") |
| Depth |
220.0mm (8.7") |
298.5mm (11.8") |
| Weight |
4.50kg (9.9lbs) |
7.71kg (17lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black, Cherry |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
16-26" |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - Polk TSi200 costs roughly 1.9x what Sony SS-CS5 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 TSi200 digs deeper - 50Hz against 53Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Polk TSi200 is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Polk TSi200 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | Polk TSi200 takes more power (150W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Sony SS-CS5 is easier to place; Polk TSi200 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | Sony SS-CS5 is cheaper - $148 against $279, about 47% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sony SS-CS5 B Polk TSi200
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?
The usual trade-off: Polk TSi200 measures better, Sony SS-CS5 costs about about 89% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. Match it to your room: we rate Sony SS-CS5 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Polk TSi200 for a mid-size room and a large room. In a large or open-plan room, Polk TSi200 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Sony SS-CS5 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.