Short answer: the Polk Reserve R500, if you are buying new. The Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 measures as well as it (#82 vs #85 of 226 floorstanding speakers, 4.2/5 vs 4.2/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Polk Reserve R500 is still sold new at $1,118.
Why pick the Emotiva Airmotiv XT2: A three-way tower with a 25mm x 32mm Airmotiv folded ribbon tweeter, a 5.25” woven fiber midrange in its own sub-enclosure, and three 6” long-throw woofers, crossed at 430Hz and 3.1kHz. Watch for: No independent measurements have been published yet, so it can’t be compared with the Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ it replaces, which Erin measured reaching about 32Hz (-10dB) from two 8” woofers.
Why pick the Polk Reserve R500: 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 Polk Reserve R500 new; the Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 is no longer sold new, so it only makes sense as a used find.
Worth knowing: the Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 has not been measured yet. Its rating is estimated from related models, with a likely range of 4.0 to 4.4, so treat this verdict as provisional.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 | Polk Reserve R500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $999 per pair Discontinued | $1,118 per pair |
| Ranked | #82 of 226 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers Estimated | #85 of 226 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 40Hz (manufacturer specified) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 430Hz, 3.1kHz | - |
| Dimensions | 44.8”H x 8.5”W x 12.2”D (1137 x 216 x 311 mm) | 40.3”H x 6.8”W x 12.4”D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Drivers | 25mm x 32mm folded ribbon tweeter, 5.25” woven fiber midrange, 3x 6” woven fiber woofers | Two 5.25” Turbine Cone woofer, 1” Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 27kHz ±3dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 8 ohms nominal per manufacturer) |
| Recommended Power | 100W or more | - |
| Sensitivity | 90dB (2.83V/1m, manufacturer specified) | 86.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 48.9 lbs (22.2 kg) each | 39.2 lbs (17.8 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | 5.86 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 7.44 |
Watch Them Compared
Videos and reviews that test both speakers side by side.
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Prices on this page were last checked October 10, 2026 at 5:37 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Emotiva Airmotiv XT2: $999 per pair Discontinued Estimated Emotiva eBay
Older model: the Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ (ranked lower, rated 4.2/5). See every Emotiva Airmotiv generation.
Same family: the Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 (bookshelf, rated 4.2/5), the Emotiva Airmotiv XT1 (smaller floorstanding, ranked lower, estimated 4/5), the Emotiva Airmotiv XT3 (larger floorstanding, ranked lower, estimated 4.2/5), the Emotiva Airmotiv XC2 (smallest center, estimated 3.4/5), the Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 (center, estimated 3.6/5), the Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 (largest center, estimated 3.6/5) and the Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 (surround, estimated 3.6/5).
Pros: A three-way tower with a 25mm x 32mm Airmotiv folded ribbon tweeter, a 5.25” woven fiber midrange in its own sub-enclosure, and three 6” long-throw woofers, crossed at 430Hz and 3.1kHz. Emotiva rates it at 40Hz to 27kHz (±3dB) and 90dB (2.83V/1m) efficiency. A 31mm braced baffle, rear port, bi-amp terminals, outrigger feet with spikes, magnetic grilles and a five year warranty.
Cons: No independent measurements have been published yet, so it can’t be compared with the Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ it replaces, which Erin measured reaching about 32Hz (-10dB) from two 8” woofers. The XT2 swaps those for three 6” woofers. Its 4 ohm load calls for an amplifier of 100W or more that is comfortable with 4 ohms. It weighs 22kg per speaker, and it is sold mainly direct from Emotiva, where it currently shows sold out. Discontinued.
Full Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 review and specifications →
| Released | 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 40Hz (manufacturer specified) |
| Crossover Frequency | 430Hz, 3.1kHz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 44.8”H x 8.5”W x 12.2”D (1137 x 216 x 311 mm) |
| Drivers | 25mm x 32mm folded ribbon tweeter, 5.25” woven fiber midrange, 3x 6” woven fiber woofers |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 27kHz ±3dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms |
| Recommended Power | 100W or more |
| Sensitivity | 90dB (2.83V/1m, manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 48.9 lbs (22.2 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Polk Reserve R500: $1,118 per pair Amazon eBay
Same family: the Polk Reserve R100 (smaller bookshelf, rated 3.4/5), the Polk R200 (larger bookshelf, rated 3.2/5), the Polk Reserve R600 (larger floorstanding, ranked lower, estimated 4.2/5), the Polk Audio Reserve R700 (larger floorstanding, ranked higher, rated 4.3/5), the Polk Audio Reserve R300 (smallest center, estimated 3.6/5), the Polk Audio Reserve R350 (center, rated 3.7/5) and the Polk Audio Reserve R400 (largest center, estimated 3.8/5).
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 Polk 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. Measured bass extension of 51Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.2dB.
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 →
| Released | 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.86 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.44 |
| Weight | 39.2 lbs (17.8 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Polk R500 Tower Speaker Review. More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Review Website Polk Reserve R500
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Personal Favorite Speakers Under $2500
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Why the Emotiva XT2 Outperforms Other Speakers
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Polk Reserve R500 vs Linkwitz Lab LXmini
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Emotiva Airmotiv T2+
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Infinity Primus 360
- Polk Reserve R500 vs PSB Imagine T65
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Polk Audio Reserve R700
- Polk Reserve R500 vs JBL HDI-3600
- Polk Reserve R500 vs JBL Studio 698
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