In this review, we will be comparing D300C and ES30, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Wharfedale and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale D300C and Polk ES30 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale D300C | Polk ES30 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" High-res dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Black woven Kevlar Cone | 2 x 5.5" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-20k Hz | 55-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 20-125 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.00kg / 17.6lbs | 8.64kg / 19lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7.8" x 20.1" x 9.1"
190 x 510 x 232mm | 7-1/2" x 20-1/16" x 10-5/8"
191.0 x 510.0 x 270.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale D300C and Polk ES30 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* |
Wharfedale D300C |
Polk ES30 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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 D300C and ES30 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale D300CPolk ES30
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale D300C |
Polk ES30 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
D300C features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Black woven Kevlar Cone Woofer. On the other hand, the ES30 features a 1" Terylene High-res dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance Woofer.
Frequency Response
D300C has a frequency range of 65-20k Hz whereas ES30 has a frequency range of 55-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the ES30 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the D300C's min frequency of 65Hz.
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
D300C and ES30 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 89 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.
ES30 can handle a max power of 125 watts RMS, whereas D300C has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 5 watts less than the ES30.
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
D300C features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. ES30 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale D300C's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Polk ES30's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
D300C has a bottom firing port whereas ES30 has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale D300C's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Polk ES30 with its rear-firing port.
Polk ES30 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 Wharfedale D300C's and Polk ES30's external dimensions. Wharfedale D300C has external dimensions of 190 x 510 x 232mm (7.8) whereas Polk ES30 has external dimensions of 191.0 x 510.0 x 270.0mm (7-1/2 x 20-1/16 x 10-5/8inch).
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 Wharfedale D300C is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2 and base area of the Polk ES30 is approximately 1377.0cm2 / 213.4inch2. The D300C requires 14% less surface area than the ES30 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 Wharfedale D300C weighs 8.00kg / 17.6lbs and the Polk ES30 weighs 8.64kg / 19lbs. This makes the ES30 8% heavier than the D300C.
Here is a comparison of how D300C and ES30's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk ES30?
Here are the items that come with the ES30:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille (attached)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
 Height |
190mm
vs
191mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1183cm2
vs
1377cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
179USD
vs
299USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
125 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
55 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Wharfedale D300C |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES30 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
20-125 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
65-20k Hz |
55-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Black woven Kevlar Cone |
mica-reinforced polypropylene Dynamic Balance |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Foamed Polyether |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
High-res dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
190.0mm (7.5") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Width |
510.0mm (20.1") |
510.0mm (20.1") |
| Depth |
232.0mm (9.1") |
270.0mm (10.6") |
| Weight |
8.00kg (17.6lbs) |
8.64kg (19lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF, Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Rosewood, Black, White, Walnut |
Black, Walnut, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Polk ES30 costs roughly 1.7x what Wharfedale D300C 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 ES30 digs deeper - 55Hz against 65Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 125W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale D300C: bi-amping. Polk ES30 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale D300C is cheaper - $179 against $299, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale D300C B Polk ES30
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 ES30 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 67% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Wharfedale D300C looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Polk ES30 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 65Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale D300C much easier to justify. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $120 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.