Short answer: the Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ for better sound quality, the Polk Reserve R500 for the lower price. The Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ ranks #22 of 56 floorstanding speakers at $999. The Polk Reserve R500 ranks #28 at $699, $300 cheaper.
On the Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ side: High-value three-way tower with strong output and unusually deep usable sealed-room bass for the price. Set against that: The nominal 4-ohm system approaches 3 ohms near 100Hz in Erin’s measurement, so a high-current amplifier is preferable.
What the Polk Reserve R500 gets right: Dual 5.25” midwoofers paired with a ring radiator tweeter in a floorstanding tower design. The catch: A bump around 4-6kHz gives a “shouty,” mildly sibilant quality in the lower treble.
Buy the Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Polk Reserve R500 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ | Polk Reserve R500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $999/pair | $699.00 |
| Ranked | #22 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #28 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | Approximately 89.5dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | Approximately 3 ohms minimum near 100Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 8 ohms nominal per manufacturer) |
| Drivers | 32mm folded-ribbon tweeter; 5.25" midrange; dual 8" woofers | Two 5.25" Turbine Cone woofer, 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter |
| Dimensions | 42.7"H x 12.2"W x 12.3"D | 40.3"H x 6.8"W x 12.4"D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) |
| Weight | 56.9 lb each | 39.2 lbs / 17.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Emotiva Airmotiv T2+: $999/pair Emotiva
Pros: High-value three-way tower with strong output and unusually deep usable sealed-room bass for the price. Erin measured F3 at 62Hz and F10 at 32Hz, with sensitivity just under 90dB/2.83V/1m. Dual 8-inch woven-fiber woofers relieve the 5.25-inch midrange, and the 32mm folded-ribbon tweeter provides broad horizontal coverage. Approximately +/-2.5dB response linearity, solid cabinet bracing and low compression allow substantial playback levels; the gradual low-frequency roll-off integrates well with either room gain or a subwoofer.
Cons: The nominal 4-ohm system approaches 3 ohms near 100Hz in Erin’s measurement, so a high-current amplifier is preferable. Horizontal and especially vertical directivity through the midrange/tweeter transition is less uniform than the best waveguided or coaxial designs; listener height and nearby reflections matter, and EQ cannot correct the narrowing mismatch. The large rear-ported cabinet needs placement clearance, and its deep F10 should not be confused with flat 30Hz output at cinema levels.
Full Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 42.7"H x 12.2"W x 12.3"D |
| Drivers | 32mm folded-ribbon tweeter; 5.25" midrange; dual 8" woofers |
| Impedance | Approximately 3 ohms minimum near 100Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | Approximately 89.5dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 56.9 lb each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs JBL HDI-3600
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs Polk Audio Reserve R700
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs Q Acoustics 5040
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs KEF R11 Meta
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- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs PSB Imagine T65
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs ELAC DF63
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs Revel F206
- See all 14 comparisons
Polk Reserve R500: $699.00 Amazon
Pros: Dual 5.25” midwoofers paired with a ring radiator tweeter in a floorstanding tower design. Surprisingly neutral overall compared to Polk’s smaller bookshelf models - notably more even-handed than the brighter-sounding R200 the reviewer tested previously. Good linearity on-axis, within about -3/+2dB. Sensitivity close to 86dB, easily driven to adequate levels in a small-to-medium room with a 100W-capable amplifier. Takes very well to EQ - a single band of correction (about a 2dB cut around 4-5kHz) resolves the main tonal issue and transforms the sound. Dynamic range and compression performance is solidly “medium,” holding up fine through about 20dB of level increase before higher-frequency and bass output start to taper at extreme volumes.
Cons: A bump around 4-6kHz gives a “shouty,” mildly sibilant quality in the lower treble. Counterintuitively, toeing the speaker out to reduce brightness makes this worse rather than better, since the ring-radiator tweeter’s directivity narrows rapidly above about 6-7kHz - pointed on-axis retains enough top-end air to balance the bump, but toed away that air drops off and the shoutiness stands out more. Bass is adequate for its 5.25” woofers but lacks real weight below about 40-50Hz; a subwoofer is still needed for movies and bass-heavy music. A cabinet resonance around 160-170Hz subtracts from rather than adds boom to the mid-bass region. Vertical listening window is fairly narrow - sitting more than about 10-20° above or below the tweeter axis causes a suckout in the 2-5kHz range, reducing clarity and attack. Multitone distortion ramps up noticeably around 1kHz, and crossing over to a subwoofer at 80Hz doesn’t meaningfully reduce it - likely a surround-related effect rather than excursion-related. Without applying corrective EQ, the reviewer says the 4-6kHz brightness would make it harder to live with day to day.
Full Polk Reserve R500 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 40.3"H x 6.8"W x 12.4"D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) |
| Drivers | Two 5.25" Turbine Cone woofer, 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter |
| Impedance | 4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner; 8 ohms nominal per manufacturer) |
| Sensitivity | 86.2dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 39.2 lbs / 17.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Polk Reserve R500 vs ELAC DF63
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Linkwitz Lab LXmini
- Polk Reserve R500 vs PSB Imagine T65
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Definitive Technology BP-9020
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Q Acoustics 5040
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Polk Audio Reserve R700
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Infinity Primus 360
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Klipsch Forte IV
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