Short answer: the Dynaudio Emit 20 for better sound quality, the Polk Monitor XT20 for the lower price. The Dynaudio Emit 20 ranks #59 of 105 bookshelf speakers at $1049. The Polk Monitor XT20 ranks #70 at $279, $770 cheaper.
On the Dynaudio Emit 20 side: Two-way design with a 28mm Esotar soft dome tweeter (Hexis-damped) and an 18cm mid-woofer, using a first-order crossover on the tweeter and second-order on the woofer. Set against that: A resonance around 600-800Hz gives snares and similar percussion a muffled, flat quality lacking impact - confirmed as originating in the woofer itself (isolated via measurements of the raw driver out of the cabinet), and attempts at constrained-layer damping didn’t resolve it.
What the Polk Monitor XT20 offers: Two-way bookshelf design with a 1” tweeter and 6.5” woofer, part of Polk’s budget-friendly XT lineup (spanning roughly $200-700 across the series). The catch: Notably bright treble, elevated roughly 1-5dB above the midrange depending on frequency - a characteristic shared across the whole Polk XT lineup, requiring either EQ or toe-out to tame.
Buy the Dynaudio Emit 20 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Polk Monitor XT20 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Dynaudio Emit 20 | Polk Monitor XT20 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,049.00 | $279.00 |
| Ranked | #59 of 105 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #70 of 105 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 50Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 75Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 7.1" Magnesium Silicate Polymer woofer, 1.1" Cerotar soft dome with Hexis tweeter | 6.5" bilaminate paper cone woofer, 1" Terylene dome tweeter |
| Weight | 12.8 lbs / 5.8 kg | 11.9 lbs / 5.4 kg each |
| Sensitivity | 83.5dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified) | 86dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (5.5 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 14.6"H x 8.1"W x 12.3"D (370.0 x 205.0 x 312.0 mm) | 13"H x 7.5"W x 11"D (330.2 x 190.5 x 279.4 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Dynaudio Emit 20: $1,049.00 Amazon
Pros: Two-way design with a 28mm Esotar soft dome tweeter (Hexis-damped) and an 18cm mid-woofer, using a first-order crossover on the tweeter and second-order on the woofer. Exceptional bass extension for a bookshelf speaker - reaches a clean, authoritative 40Hz in-room, rare enough that the reviewer says most listeners could skip a subwoofer for typical music. Very low distortion across the board, staying below 1% THD down to 40Hz at 86dB and below 3% even at 96dB - unusually clean bass performance where most two-way bookshelf speakers start rising in distortion around 80Hz. Wide, remarkably consistent horizontal directivity (about ±50-60°) that holds steady up to roughly 13kHz - rare for a speaker in this format, thanks to a beveled tweeter edge that acts as a mild waveguide. Excellent compression and dynamic-range linearity at the frequency extremes, actually showing slight bass enhancement rather than the sharp low-end compression common in similarly-sized bookshelf speakers.
Cons: A resonance around 600-800Hz gives snares and similar percussion a muffled, flat quality lacking impact - confirmed as originating in the woofer itself (isolated via measurements of the raw driver out of the cabinet), and attempts at constrained-layer damping didn’t resolve it. A peak around 4kHz adds a sharp, edgy quality to some male vocals. A roughly 5dB boost above 10kHz gives cymbals and hi-hats excess shimmer that can sound unnatural, especially pointed directly on-axis. Vertical dispersion shows two separate crossover-related notches (above and below the tweeter reference line around 5kHz) rather than the usual single one, a direct consequence of the shallow crossover slopes used on both drivers. Multitone distortion is elevated in the midrange, possibly due to the woofer’s magnet structure lacking a shorting ring. Best aimed slightly off-axis (about 10-15° of toe-out) to tame the excess high-frequency shimmer, rather than pointed straight at the listener.
Full Dynaudio Emit 20 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 14.6"H x 8.1"W x 12.3"D (370.0 x 205.0 x 312.0 mm) |
| Drivers | 7.1" Magnesium Silicate Polymer woofer, 1.1" Cerotar soft dome with Hexis tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (5.5 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 83.5dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 12.8 lbs / 5.8 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Polk Monitor XT20: $279.00 Amazon Crutchfield
Pros: Two-way bookshelf design with a 1” tweeter and 6.5” woofer, part of Polk’s budget-friendly XT lineup (spanning roughly $200-700 across the series). Measures more linear and has fewer/smaller cabinet resonances than its smaller sibling, the XT15, making it - by the reviewer’s own assessment - probably the better of the two based on data alone. Reasonably good bass output for the price and size, with an F3 of 63Hz. Horizontal radiation of about ±50° gives a respectable, enjoyable soundstage width. Takes well to EQ correction - the early-reflections directivity trend is decently linear, meaning tonal adjustments can meaningfully improve the sound. Provides usable, respectable volume when paired with a subwoofer crossover, even though it isn’t intended to play extremely loud on its own.
Cons: Notably bright treble, elevated roughly 1-5dB above the midrange depending on frequency - a characteristic shared across the whole Polk XT lineup, requiring either EQ or toe-out to tame. Small resonances appear around 300Hz and 800Hz, with some of that energy leaking from the port area. Vertical listening window is narrow - best kept close to the tweeter axis, with only a couple of degrees of tolerance above or below before the sound changes. Still needs a subwoofer for real low-end extension despite the decent F3. Overall linearity isn’t state-of-the-art flat, and while the reviewer found it pleasant, some artificial brightness remains even after basic EQ correction in the crossover region.
Full Polk Monitor XT20 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 75Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 13"H x 7.5"W x 11"D (330.2 x 190.5 x 279.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" bilaminate paper cone woofer, 1" Terylene dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (measured by Erin's Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 11.9 lbs / 5.4 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Polk’s new budget XT Speakers. Reviewed!
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website Polk Monitor XT20
- Erin’s Audio Corner: 10 Great (and Terrible) Speakers Under $300!
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Budget Stereo Systems You Will Love
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Reddit Search for Polk Monitor XT20 Review
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