In this review, we will be comparing NS-600A and ES15, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Yamaha and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Yamaha NS-600A and Polk ES15 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Yamaha NS-600A | Polk ES15 |
|---|
| Brand | Yamaha
Japan · founded 1887 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25" Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.125" Cone | 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 47-65k Hz | 44-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85.5 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-120 watts | 20-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.89kg / 21.8lbs | 5.91kg / 13lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15.125" x 8.125" x 13"
384.2 x 206.4 x 330.2mm | 12-1/16" x 7-9/16" x 10-3/16"
307.0 x 193.0 x 259.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Yamaha NS-600A and Polk ES15 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* |
Yamaha NS-600A |
Polk ES15 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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
Both NS-600A and ES15 are 2-way speakers.
Yamaha NS-600APolk ES15
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Yamaha NS-600A |
Polk ES15 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.125-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
NS-600A features a 1.25" Dome Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.125" Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.6 kHz. On the other hand, the ES15 features a 1" Terylene Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
NS-600A has a frequency range of 47-65k Hz whereas ES15 has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the ES15 can go slightly deeper then the NS-600A'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 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
NS-600A is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the ES15 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. NS-600A sensitivity is rated at 85.5 dB and the ES15's is rated at 85 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Yamaha NS-600A a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES15, 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.
NS-600A can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas ES15 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the NS-600A.
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
NS-600A features 5-Way post type posts and ES15 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk ES15's 5-Way post terminals
Polk ES15 Power Port 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 Yamaha NS-600A's and Polk ES15's external dimensions. Yamaha NS-600A has external dimensions of 384.2 x 206.4 x 330.2mm (15.125 x 8.125 x 13inch) whereas Polk ES15 has external dimensions of 307.0 x 193.0 x 259.0mm (12-1/16 x 7-9/16 x 10-3/16inch).
Yamaha NS-600A is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 13.4mm wider, 77.2mm taller and 71.2mm deeper than Polk ES15.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Yamaha NS-600A needs about 36% more floor or shelf area. Yamaha NS-600A is 71mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Yamaha NS-600A is 77mm taller.
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 Yamaha NS-600A is approximately 681.5cm2 / 105.6inch2 and base area of the Polk ES15 is approximately 499.9cm2 / 77.5inch2. The NS-600A requires 36% more surface area than the ES15 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Yamaha NS-600A weighs 9.89kg / 21.8lbs and the Polk ES15 weighs 5.91kg / 13lbs. This makes the NS-600A 67% heavier than the ES15.
Here is a comparison of how NS-600A and ES15'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 ES15?
Here are the items that come with the ES15:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grille (attached)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Wall-mount template
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
86 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
65k Hz
vs
40k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
5.125 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
47 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
307mm
vs
384mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
499cm2
vs
681cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
3200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Yamaha NS-600A |
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15 |
| Brand |
Yamaha |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
40-120 watts |
20-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85.5 dB |
85 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
47-65k Hz |
44-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.125" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cone |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2.6 kHz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
384.2mm (15.1") |
307.0mm (12.1") |
| Width |
206.4mm (8.1") |
193.0mm (7.6") |
| Depth |
330.2mm (13") |
259.0mm (10.2") |
| Weight |
9.89kg (21.8lbs) |
5.91kg (13lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF, Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black,White,Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
Keyhole |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
24-28" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Yamaha NS-600A costs roughly 10.7x what Polk ES15 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 ES15 digs deeper - 44Hz against 47Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 85dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Polk ES15 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Polk ES15 is easier to place; Yamaha NS-600A is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Polk ES15 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Polk ES15 is cheaper - $299 against $3,200, about 91% less; arguably a different class. |
A Yamaha NS-600A B Polk ES15
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 ES15 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Yamaha NS-600A if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. Match it to your room: we rate Yamaha NS-600A the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same. In a large or open-plan room, Yamaha NS-600A has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Polk ES15 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.