POLK Reserve R100 & R200 speakers, game changers
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- These new POLKs, the Reserve R100 and R200 lit a fire under the Audiophiliac!
R100 specs:
Speaker Type Standmount (Bookshelf)
UOM (Sold As) Pair
TRANSDUCER
Tweeter 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator
Mid-range/Mid-bass -
Woofers 5 ¼” Turbine Cone
Overall Frequency Response 44Hz - 50kHz
Frequency Response (-3dB limits) 58Hz - 39kHz
Recommended Amplifier Power 30 - 150W
Amplifier Output Compatibility 8Ω / 6Ω / 4Ω
Minimum Impedance (ohms) 3.6Ω
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) 86dB
CROSSOVER
Tweeter/Mid-range Crossover Frequency 2700
Mid-range/Mid-bass Crossover Frequency -
MEASUREMENTS
Product Dims W x H x D (Includes width of feet) 166 x 324 x 259.5mm
6.5 x 12.8 x 10.2 in
Product Weights (each) 12.2 lbs/5.5 kg
Shipping Weight 28.4 lbs/12.9 kg
R200 specs:
peaker Type Standmount
UOM (Sold As) Pair
TRANSDUCER
Tweeter 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator
Mid-range/Mid-bass -
Woofers 6 ½” Turbine Cone
Overall Frequency Response 39Hz - 50kHz
Frequency Response (-3dB limits) 51Hz - 38kHz
Recommended Amplifier Power 30 - 200W
Amplifier Output Compatibility 8Ω / 6Ω / 4Ω
Minimum Impedance (ohms) 3.8Ω
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) 86dB
CROSSOVER
Tweeter/Mid-range Crossover Frequency 3000
Mid-range/Mid-bass Crossover Frequency
MEASUREMENTS
Product Dims W x H x D (Includes width of feet) 190 x 359 x 353.8mm
7.5 x 14.1 x 13.9 in
Product Weights (each) 19.1 lbs/8.7 kg
Shipping Weight 43.4 lbs/19.7 kg
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Listening here in Scotland you can probably still hear my laugh all those miles away at “ribbed for your listening pleasure “
Brilliant
Also glad you’re a fan of local band Belle and Sebastian
Rawr, yeah baby!!
Belle & Sebastian are from Scotland ? I love their music.
@@davidfromamerica1871 Ribbed woofers are not snake oil, or a recent development. Ribbed woofers were first developed in the 1950's, and for two very good reasons. Electric guitars, and rock and roll. Guess what happens to smooth paper woofers when you crank them? Distortion. Lots of it. Guess what happens when you reinforce the rigidity of a woofer through ribbing? Less distortion at higher volumes, without the warping of using thicker materials, or the ringing of using metals. Assuming all things to be equal, a smooth cone speaker will break-up earlier, and result in lower SPL. There's nearly 70 years of testing and research that confirms it. If you like to crank it, ribbed cones are better. If you like a cleaner, more defined sound, ribbed cones are better.
Wasn't the Third Eye Centre a pretentious place in Glasgow in the 80s full of art students ? Is that a live album or did Belle and Sebastian just remember it fondly ?
And who is this bloke from Lochwinnoch with the weird sense of humour ? I think we should be told, although it shouldn't be hard to track him down. Far as I can tell, Lochwinnoch only has one street.
@GeneralCurtis3LeMay Bit of a broad brush. The guy who sold me my Zingalis was very nice to me. Mind you that was 15 years ago. Loud and Clear were also always pretty good back in my Musical Fidelity days.
But then I'm a nice guy. People like me. What can I say ? They smile when they sell me stuff.
That's why I mostly buy on the electronic internet now. I'm tired of all that relentless cheerfulness and goodwill
Well, here goes.
I had a set of Focal Aria 906's. You know $2200, all the detail. They edged out the $3000 B&W 705s2 for me. One day I'm listening to louder music and it was obvious the tweeter rang and there was a scoop out in the mids. Ughg. High end, I don't think so.
I auditioned a set of Polk R-100's. The response was very even. Warm. And very transparent. I wasn't lacking any detail. They also scale up with better electronics.
So yes, I sold the Aria and for the reserve. Am I saying they are superior to the focal aria 902 and B&W 705s2? Yes, without hesitation. Those two are overpriced nonsense.
Polk has great engineering, not boutique hype. If you gave the Polk an esoteric name like "Orgasme sonore" and a real veneer, you could charge $2500 a pair. Add a sub, and I like them better than the Buchardt S400MkII. Polk truly made a giant killer that will make you question the sanity of spending more for music. And no more metal tweeters for me , ever.
😮😂
Ribbed for your listening pleasure....bwaaaa!
"ribbed for your listening pleasure"....
i feel so prophylactically protected by this description.
Dirty boy 😂😂😂😂😂
That's funny
😅😅
@@Jeton6 nailed it
Steve, I just love how clear it is that you love music and the gear that reproduces it. So many reviewers are obviously gear heads and not so much music lovers. I always learn so much about different kinds of music when I listen to your reviews. Thank you!!!
I dont see why the need of bringing down others while praising one
Not “bringing down” anyone, just simply stating that there are MANY audio reviews on UA-cam that are done by gear heads who obviously are obsessed with the gear and not the music. You bring up an interesting thing though - sometimes in order to praise one thing, you need to give examples of what is not good. I’m not going to apologize for this.
@@777galamian No one is demanding you to apologise. You can walk with your nose up high all you want.
That tube port looks like something Harley Earl put on a Buick or Olds in the 50s.
Lifer Polkie here . Sda SRS from 1986 still impressing me everyday!!
SDA 2B here, purchased new in. Had many others come and go but these are still welcome.
That’s when Polk was a good company.
I bought the Monitor 7 from that era, still have them and love them.
Same......South Texas Polk Audio owner since 1987.
Recently I bought this speaker and it's everything you described, great value imo. Enjoyed your review and take on music, cheers!
“Ribbed for your listening pleasure...” Hahaha
the clash! toronto 1979 and drove there from brooklyn. thanks for the effort and the sharing. thumbs up.
A RIBBED woofer for our listening pleasure! Applause please!
Klipsch makes the rounds, all the reviewers then tackle the Triangles, before it was Elac, buchardt, and now let's all review Polk.
Never knew of that Motown documentary. Thanks for the heads up, I will buy it today
I went to see it in the cinema during the Edinburgh film festival many years ago. Sounded incredible.
Nat Geo is doing a "Genius" series and the one I watched was "Aretha" A really excellent biography of Aretha Franklin. The Music is done really well, I think she is played by a Brit actress and she did all her own singing. Great Cast and very interesting. They even brushed on the Muscle Shoals sessions if you saw the documentary Muscle Shoals.
@@davidfromamerica1871 I saw that this one is available on Amazon Prime as well. That delux set looks like you get the cd. There is only one available on ebay
@@davidfromamerica1871 Thanks for the info.
Ah! The Clash. "The ONLY Band that matters!" And...as I was "Like" number 69 this morning I too will declare my guffaw at "ribbed for your listening pleasure." Have a great weekend Steve.
Love the way you weave speaker and music reviews. Great job.
I bought the Polk Reserve 200s from Polkaudio but they canceled my order and after speaking with a supervisor they apologized for the problem and gave me a 20% discount on them and I actually paid less than I would have if I bought the R 100s. Total price was 554 .55. Now I just need a receiver for them. I have a sub and this set up is for Home theater
Your reviews are so perfect. I have polk 220B and paired with yamaha it sound so polished and full and musical and satisfying which my kef 150 , q 3050i are not. I m planning for R200. Bigger cabinet have advantage of fullness of sound. Female vocals sound fabulous, unmatched sweet and shimmering
I know someday Steve will compare the 600M to Decware’s Betsy and related open baffle speakers....
I had the Polk R200's. Just returned them. They can play loud. They do have a decent sound, but I do not like the Ring Radiator tweeter. If it's not exactly at ear level, symbols just seem to fade into the background.
I think the R200 could be an end game speaker for some. Specially if you have a Bright system. These go on sale for $549, Do not pay full retail price. They aren't that good. They are sale price good.
You say game changer for almost every speaker you review.
How does Polk Salad Annie sound on them? "Polk Salad Annie, the gators got your granny, chomp, chomp, chomp."
Great track!!
I liked how Boozoo bajoo used Tony Joe white for a few swamp songs before he died
That’s a cool song! One of my all time favorites!
It's actually "Poke Salad Annie." "Poke" is an old word for a cloth sack.
@@bb3585 It is a green and can be eaten.
One dimension that you did not touch upon is the Polks' performance using low-watt amplification, e.g. the Decware, the Amp Camp Amp, First Watt J8, Reisong. I am thinking that the Klipsch makes a better pairing if low-watt amplification is your bag. Would you still recommend the Polk for those pairings?
Great review. Just got the Polk R200 this week. Set them up in my bedroom and am very impressed with the sound.
What amp you are using it with them Steven?
@@RanTausi I’m using a Yamaha A-S701 with mine and it’s a great pairing.
@@run4b33r do you think a AS501 would be enough power to drive the R200 or R100?
@@lr8621 I barely have turn up the volume on the 701 to make them sing, so I’d be shocked if the 501 wasn’t also plenty!
@@run4b33r where did you hook it up at the back of the receiver A or B? And is the switch on low or high?
Another Greatest Speaker of the Month
Some argue the old polk LSiM is better than Legend series. 3 ways are king 👑
i have the r200, they are cheaply built and the sound is far too soft, you miss power, especially in the the low, i send them back in their well good packaging and go for b w
How close to is the Polk to the 600m2 I have other klipch stuff not sure if I want to switch everything
What is the right crossover frequenz for the r200? I use a rel t7i subwoofer. 80 hz or higher?
"Game changer" -- ridiculously overused term to the point it means nothing.
Listening to your description of the R100 brought back VERY fond memories of my Polk Audio Monitor 4A speaker circa 1985. LOVED that little non-SDA speaker!
I have 4.5s in my living room, love them.
My first pair of high end bookshelf speakers were Polks. This was back in the 80’s before Polk had been acquired by UA and was still considered to be a high end speaker brand. I worked a whole summer caddying to earn the money to buy those speakers and they were awesome when I got them. They had a tremendous full range sound. The bass in those speakers were as good as most floor standers. I finally got rid of those speakers this year. They had become so scratched up that I couldn’t look at them anymore, but they still sounded decent, even 40 years later. Then in the 90’s polk went mainstream and sort of lost their high-end quality level. I think the reserves are a throwback to the old Polk audio, back when they were a great speaker company.
The so called "bookshelf" speaker such as the Polk Monitor 10 are way bigger than the so called bookshelf speaker of today. Personally I am not a fan of a ported speaker, the design with two 6" drivers making a 10" passive radiator radiate was a winner. I am still using the 10s in a system with a Kenwood receiver and Marantz CD changer along with later purchased Polk R1 upside down on top of the 10s which does add flavor however the R1s are not very good and the R200 at 700 bucks now you are talking Magnepan LRS speakers which are quite a step up albeit finicky.
Bose?....🤔🤔🤔
@@FelixtheMetalcat Bose should never be mentioned on this page. Blasphemy!
🤔🤔🤔
@J William Collier then you never listen to them because the s60e is perfect. R700 might be even better.
every 6 months the youtubers are claiming another game changer budget speaker...... i haven't even contemplated last years game changers yet...
Steve I've got to tell you. I read your old review about the Tekton Mini Lore speakers (on CNET from 2012). Well, after reading some more reviews I went ahead and bought a pair. Wow, just outstanding speakers all around. Great bass, mids, and highs (not fatiguing). Easy to drive - high sensitivity and 8 ohms - and they get loud if you want them to but they sound great at any volume. Everything I want and nothing I don't. I don't see how these small towers could ever be beat for the money. Thanks for the review and happy listening!
Glad to see Polk back in the spotlight! I've been a longtime Polk fan. Still have several pairs that are 30yrs old. Very easy to listen to and not finicky to set-up.
Interesting.. I have a pair of Polk monitor 10 series 2 with 8” stands from the early 90s for stereo that I never really thought were as good as the originals, which I couldn’t afford to buy a decade earlier; but I got a deal on the series 2 before they were discontinued and I never was really happy with them at higher volumes until I finally redesigned the crossovers with one of the Polk engineers and upgraded the tweeters on Polk’s recommendation as well. Now at least they’re a respectable set of floor standers that I listen to, but I still sense that their sound signature exhibits a slightly veiled tone around 1 kHz, but not bad at all. Seems to be great for certain genres of music. Certainly not 100% neutral sounding, but a pleasant listening experience with a wide sound stage and decent imaging; I also love how they dig fairly deep, even at low volume, so subs were never necessary. I think Polk had a pretty good idea of good passive radiator design practice back in the day.👨🏻
The R200 lured me a bit ... but as my 2 channel system changed into a vintage set ( Dual 1209 + Yamaha CR-800 ) my interest changed more into retro speakers to replace the Polk S20E on it.
Saw your review of the Whatfedale Linton 85th anniversary, out of my budget by far, digged more about the brand and found the Denton 80th anniversary ... quite a while on the market, price quite dropped a bit, promised a own character and looking gorgeous.
But if I ever plan to upgrade my 5.1 system ( Polk Signatures ) the R-series is still in the back of my head.
That convinced me. I'm trying out a pair of R200s. Thanks bro !
Polk R200 not an easy speaker to drive at Sensitivity 86db amp will get pretty warm
Curious, how would you guess it (R200) might compare to the Elac unifi 2.0 UB52?
Think cheap audio man compared both and said get the polks
Depends on room, stands, listening preferences, music, etc. You have to listen yourself or find someone with the same tastes to know.
Anybody else getting Videodrome vibes from these drivers? 😂
That Motown CD / documentary is excellent.
This review seems to be a paid advertising.
599 for 70 w? no way
Does anybody have experience with polk support ? I bought q accoustic and their support sucks. A want my next speaker with somebody behind their products
My only experience was a busted bass port and grill in shipping. They replaced both but I had to send them a picture of the damage.
03.42...Hahaa, Lachaim!!!🤪 Would like to try the R100/R200.. Now i use Triangle Borea 3 speakers, connected with Bluesound Node 2i (wired connected with the modem)and Aiyima D03 mini amplifier..sounds surprisingly good/full.. I didn't expect it either..certainly not for that price (€150,-). .Okay..i'm living in a small "apartment" (25m2) with high ceiling, in Ams. Maybe that's why..
Later on, i want to try the SMSL AL-200..
Pff..what a bullshit about "made in China" that makes lots of consumer hifi/cameras/kitchen equipment/electric tools(like Milwaukee,Dewalt,Makita,etc) more affordable..
And probably more profitable for the brand..
Lower salary-and environment-costs..as compared to Europe/USA/Canada/Australia/Japan..
Yeahh..we all want "the best possible quality, but for the cheapest possible price....'"
"Ribbed for my pleasure." LOL
He's never eaten a hotdog
What a great endorsement. Good video!
Nice double entendre on the ribbed woofers
Appreciate this review both for the speakers AND the music ;). Love when you throw some music history in the mix.
Oh, my god 🙄 ...
Had some Polks R-20's(6.5" bookshelf), always sounded like there was a thin pillow in front of the speaker. Never buy another.
What is the Speaker Stand called that he shows in the Thumbnail. I just got my R100 and it seems very hard to find good stands, because they are narrower than most speakers
I purchased r100 for surround speakers. Is it possible to wallmount? Will it sound good if wallmounted using brackets ?
"...ribbed for your listening pleasure." Naughty Steve. But I love it.
👍Great review, Steve. On thing though, comments on actual perceived differences between Reserve and Legend “books” since you did note they were very similar in design, but the Legends are typically double in price at msrp. Benefit of two sets of Reserve vs one set of Legends? 👨🏻 The one thing you did make clear is that the Reserve series is a better bang/buck, but what about minor benefits (or drawbacks) sonically for spending twice as much?
How can you compare R200 with klipsch rp-600m II?
Thank you for your answer!
Good morning Steve ... I have a couple of questions for you. What is the title of the album you are holding during the video ....? second question ... between polk audio r200 and B&W ... 606 ... which do you think is better? thank you, a hug
You can get spoiled these days with all the good choices available today. I still have my infinity Interlude IL10s speakers along with the IL 50s still have them today 18 years later and never looked back.
Dear Steve, please recommend Denon PMA 600 or bluesound powernode or something else for them. Thank you
Thank you for all the effort.
I always considered Polk one step up above Bose. Maybe I should take them more seriously?????
"Hey there little Billy.... don't touch the speakers.... See that little thing sticking out at the top of them??
The engineers designed them to "Polk" you in the eye if you touch them!!" ;) ;)
Was anticipating your reflection on the klipsch comparison but it never came (for my pleasure)
Great review, you’d have aced the police academy exam with this performance:)
any comparison with e.g. KEF Q350, Elac?
Thanks so much for this and indeed all your reviews. The insights and Impressions offered, make it far easier to grasp the gyst, especially with direct comparison. Much appreciated.
If at all possible, I'd like your impressions of the new Polk R700, thanks.
Wonder if the Polk Reserve center channel would sound good with Klipsch RP 600M because its more refined and dialogue would be clearer?
Listened to entire review. Speaker sounds like a good choice for a smallish room. Didn’t quite get was is “game changing” about either model. Oh well.
Great video. I wish you would have compared these speakers to the KEF LS50 Meta. Any ideas how they'd stack up?
Would it be possible to stop pretending that a product that is a game changer when it is clearly not.
Difficult to Keep Up !! The impression that HiFi equipment is always getting better ! Thanx!! Bill the French Staten Islander « Safe European Home «
4 ohm?
pass
I hate how so many speaker makers make these hard to drive speakers... Not only do you need higher end amps but these 4 ohm speakers push all amps harder.
Torn between the R200 and the legend series. Choices choices
"Ribbed for your listening pleasure." LOL
I got the r200 today, what reciever should I buy?
'Ribbed for your (listening) pleasure' LOL!
I still have my 26 yr old Polk SDA speakers and Adcom components. Such a shame I haven't been able to use since source the source switch on the tuner preamp stopped working. Everything else is still just fine.
I have b&w's now but I Still have my polk rt 2000p's and rt7's i bought new many years ago sitting in my closet. And for music I always thought the rt7's sounded alot better than the rt 2000's did. I may have to check these out.
I have the sonus fiber five point one I have the five in the front
Big price difference between the earlier made and new Chinese made ones shame but thats business
Everyone should see Standing in the Shadows of Motown. The Funk Brothers finally receive the credit they deserve.
Lsmi has better MIDRANGE...
Steve, I have to say I listen to your bookshelf speaker reviews and I just want to add them to my collection, but I am out of systems to associate them with. I actually went totally in the other direction and added a pair of Magnepan 1.5s to my collection, these were 20 years old from one owner. So, perhaps, I am in need of rehab. They sound fuller than my .7s that I have in my home system. I need more rooms!!
The tweeter looks like a cow wasn't able to digest a Hershey's Kiss
That Made in China fact is sooo off putting for HiFi speakers these days, IDK why :/
Zu can build amazing speakers for reasonable prices in Oregon. Schiit can build amazing electronics for reasonable prices in California. What's Polk's excuse for needing to offshore?
@@RoastBeefSandwich they sell tons more volume worldwide, hence the need for more production capacity.
@@Jazzie_Fizzle There's plenty of MDF here in America to build all the speakers that Polk wants. My stepdad works for a wood finishing company and a lot of the products you buy at IKEA are made where he works. They can source speakers and wire too. The true story isn't capacity, it's cost.
@@RoastBeefSandwich Ikea is a different deal bec they have to have local suppliers where they (IKEA) opens, it's mandatory business practice for them to help local economies. But regarding polks, it's funny because you just answered your own question :)
@@Jazzie_Fizzle Right, my point is it has nothing to do with needing more capacity to serve the world market, it's they can be made cheaper in China versus the US or really any other free country. I'm not a dyed-in-the-wool "gotta be made in the USA" kind of person but it is important to me. If nothing else, I do prefer the goods I buy be made in a free country whenever I have the choice (obviously you don't have a choice with a smartphone, but speakers and a lot of stuff you use everyday, you do).
Thanks for mentioning the soundtrack CD. I have already reserved the Motown documentary from library. Can't wait to enjoy that. Too bad Qobuz does not have the soundtrack CD.
The r200 is 700 pair. The competing speakers are 700 each.
wait till you review the HECO speakers!
Yup. No replacement for displacement.
How much would they be if they were made in the U.S.?
Are you saying those speakers have wife appeal?
Please refrain from ribbing Steve..😆
Mentioning nostalgia, was listening to Mark Knopfler's homage, " Lonnie Donagan's Gone" . Who can forget "Does Your Chewing Gun Lose It' Flavor On the Bedpost Over Night"
The R200s and a sub or R600 floor standers?
I believe him, he got a sharingan jacket
What was that CD? Can't find it in the transcript.
I’ve got the denon 600 ne, which I absolutely love, and I’m looking for an upgrade speaker from some cheapo 3-way technics speakers. I need a pair that sound good with basically any genre on vinyl / BT from low volumes to party level loud. My room is about 14 x 20 ft and I keep circling second hand ls50s, would this be a safe bet?
I’ve got the Denon PMA 600ne and have used the Klipsch R51m, the Sony CSS5 and now have the KEF q150s. The KEFs are amazing with this amp and believe it or not the cheap Sonys seemed to outperform the Klipsch.
I really struggle with this fashion of (sometime very expensive) small speakers mounted on huge stands...which means the space below the speaker is lost cabinet space, leading to not enough bass without a subwofer. Many of them are taking almost as much living room real estate than my Wilson Audio Sophia Serie 1, even more so if one take into account the subwoofer(s) which my Sophia really do NOT need ! What are your thoughs on this.
Last I just received delivery Today of a Moon 390 streamer/dac/preamp - any view on this gear ?
I quite like your channel and you do well to insist on room acoustic/placement as most people do not spend enough time (and money) on what can bring very big improvements
Sometimes roomsize does not allow for tall floorstanders. Mostly because of excessive bass output or weight, taste, etc..
Bookshelfs are usually better in projecting a large and spatious soundstage, but often lack full bass or body. Although floorspeakers produce sometimes (not often) sub-bass, a powered subwoofer almost always outperforms it on every account, like extension, speed, etc. Bass is hard to get right in a speaker and subs, like SVS, use DSP equalizers to compensate for roommodes or bumps, etc. Your amp doesn't have to struggle with bass loads, low Ohm figures, etc.
To get that right in a floorspeaker, you often pay a lot more, but sounds less good in general.
I love the Clash’s remastered Sandinista cd and I am not too crazy with the sound. I need to revisit my Clash cds with my older Polk