Polk Audio Reserve R300 is a 2-way Passive Acoustic Suspension Center Channel speaker by Polk Audio. Center channel speaker is an important component of a home theater system set-up as it delivers the listener significant part of the on-screen dialogue from your television. It features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 65-38k Hz and a sensitivity of 86.5 dB. Polk R300 has an MSRP of 449$.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the Polk R300 is a crucial factor in your decision. We have assessed its suitability for various room sizes based on its dimensions and maximum power output:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Poor |
| Small Room | Average |
| Mid-size Room | Good |
| Large Room | Average |
| Very Large Room | 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.)
Polk Audio's Reserve Series of Loudspeakers
R300 is a member of Polk Audio's Reserve series of Passive speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
Polk Audio Reserve Series Speakers
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Frequency Response of the Polk R300 Speaker
Polk R300 has a Frequency response range of 65-38k Hz at ±3dB and Power Range of 30-200 watts.
Here we have a comparison of how R300's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
Polk R300's Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
Crossover frequency of the Polk R300?
The Crossover frequency of the R300 is set to 2200Hz. This is the threshold frequency where the higher frequency signals over this level are sent to the tweeter and the lower-frequency signals are sent to the woofer by the crossover component.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Polk R300's nominal impedance level is
8 ohms but can go down to as low as
3.8 ohms, and has a sensitivity of
86.5 dB.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
8 Ohms is pretty much the standard nominal impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so Polk Audio Reserve R300 is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
With a sensitivity level of only 87 dB, Polk Audio Reserve R300 is a difficult to drive speaker from Sensitivity perspective, make sure to choose an amplifier with a high output if you like listening to your music at high volume levels. You may especially have a hard time using Tube amplifiers which are traditionally very low power compared to Class A/B or Class D amps.
Minimum Impedance of the Polk R300
Even though the nominal impedance of the R300 is 8 ohms, the minimum impedance level of this speaker according to Polk Audio is 3.8 ohms Polk Audio Reserve R300 so while choosing an amplifier, you should ideally check if the unit you are considering can provide this impedance level.
Check the amplifiers that are in a similar price range to the Polk R300:
Input Type
R300 features Binding post type connectors. Bi-amping and Bi-wiring are not possible.
Polk R300 Back View
Polk R300 External Dimensions and Weight
Polk R300 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 6-13/16 x 19-1/16 x 8-15/16inch (174.0 x 485.0 x 228.0mm ).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of Polk R300 is approximately 1105.8cm2 / 171.4inch2.
WeightThe Polk R300 weighs 7.64kg / 16.8lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how R300's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Weight
Center Channel Speakers under $500
How does the Polk R300 compare to the Polk Audio Reserve R400?
One of the natural alternative to the Polk R300 is the R400 which is located one step higher in Polk Audio's Passive Center Channel selection.
Check the Detailed Comparison of Polk R300 vs R400 for more details.
Cabinet type and Materials
Polk R300 has a
Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. Acoustic Suspension loudspeakers aka Sealed speakers have no openings such as ports or slots.. They can be designed smaller, the bass is more accurate and tighter compared to ported designs but doesn't go as low on the lower end in general.
Speaker Feet
Polk R300 comes with
Rubber Pads which you can use to secure your loudspeaker on the surface that you are putting on. It is always recommended to use some kind of feet under all types of speakers. Besides limiting the movement of the speakers, it also compensates for non-flat surfaces and limits the contact surface area of the speaker. Rubber based feet also help isolating the vibrations within certain frequency ranges.
Port Position
Polk R300 is a rear-firing port speaker so you have to make sure you leave enough space between the back of the speaker and wall or bookshelf so that it has room to breathe.
Available colors
Polk R300 is available in Black and Walnut.
Does the Polk R300 come with a Grille?
R300 comes with magnetic grilles. The purpose of the grille is to protect the delicate driver elements from external impacts while still allowing the sound to pass as clearly as possible. Since the included grille of the R300 is magnetic type, it is very easy to put it on and off.
Polk R300 with Grille
What's in the Box of Polk R300?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R300:
Center-channel loudspeakerGrilleOwners ManualOnline Registration
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the Polk Audio Reserve R300.
User's Manual
For more information about how to setup, use and maintain the Polk Audio Reserve R300, use the direct link below to download the official manual document:
Download User Manual for Polk R300
Official Brochure
Here is a link to download the official brochure for the Polk Audio Reserve R300 speaker:
Official Brochure for Polk R300
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the Polk Audio Reserve R300 speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for Polk R300
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.