Short answer: the Focal Chora 816. It ranks #14 of 59 floorstanding speakers by sound quality at $900; the Polk Audio Reserve R700 ranks #26 and costs $1199, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Focal Chora 816 offers: CEA2034 spinorama shows a generally even on-axis response with nice bass extension and high sensitivity. The catch: Some messiness appears between 500Hz-2kHz on-axis, including a dip around 550Hz.
On the Polk Audio Reserve R700 side: Three-way design with a 1” ring radiator tweeter, 6.5” mid-range, and dual 8” mid-bass drivers in a ported, down-firing cabinet. The tradeoff: Compression in the high frequencies rises sharply between 96dB and 102dB output - a real limitation only at very high volumes (around 100dB at 3 meters), but a clear step down from pricier ($5,000+) towers.
Buy the Focal Chora 816. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Polk Audio Reserve R700 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Focal Chora 816 | Polk Audio Reserve R700 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $900 used, Discontinued | $1,199.00 |
| Ranked | #14 of 59 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #26 of 59 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 31Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 40.7"H x 11.8"W x 15.3"D (1033.8 x 299.7 x 388.6 mm) | 45"H x 12.6"W x 16.9"D (1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.9 ohms minimum, measured, Audio Science Review) | 4 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 6.5" (16.5cm) Slatefiber woofer, 6.5" (16.5cm) Slatefiber midrange, 1" (25mm) TNF Al/Mg inverted dome tweeter | 2x 8" polypropylene cone woofers, 1x 6.5" turbine cone midrange, 1x 1" Pinnacle ring radiator tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 91dB (measured, Audio Science Review) | 87.5dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 40.8 lbs / 18.5 kg each | 102.1 lbs / 46.3 kg |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front | ported, down-firing |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Revel Concerta2 F35 vs Q Acoustics 5040
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs Q Acoustics 5040
- JBL Studio 698 vs Q Acoustics 5040
- Revel Concerta2 F35 vs Polk Audio Reserve R700
- Focal Chora 816 vs Q Acoustics 5040
The Two Speakers In Full
Focal Chora 816: $900 used, Discontinued
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows a generally even on-axis response with nice bass extension and high sensitivity. Predicted in-room response is very good aside from a peak around 8kHz. Horizontal beamwidth of about ±60 degrees is typical and fairly controlled. Distortion is very low at 86dB SPL/1m and still usable at 96dB SPL/1m.
Cons: Some messiness appears between 500Hz-2kHz on-axis, including a dip around 550Hz. Vertical directivity narrows a little, so listening height matters more than with a coincident design. Cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) shows a fair bit of resonances lingering across the midrange. Distortion rises substantially in the 1-2kHz region at 96dB SPL/1m. Minimum impedance dips to about 3.9 ohms. Discontinued.
Full Focal Chora 816 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 40.7"H x 11.8"W x 15.3"D (1033.8 x 299.7 x 388.6 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 6.5" (16.5cm) Slatefiber woofer, 6.5" (16.5cm) Slatefiber midrange, 1" (25mm) TNF Al/Mg inverted dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.9 ohms minimum, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 91dB (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 40.8 lbs / 18.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Polk Audio Reserve R700: $1,199.00 Amazon
Pros: Three-way design with a 1” ring radiator tweeter, 6.5” mid-range, and dual 8” mid-bass drivers in a ported, down-firing cabinet. On-axis frequency response holds within about ±2dB across most of its range, with genuinely deep bass extension (F3 40Hz) reaching into the mid-30s Hz in-room. Wide horizontal radiation of about ±70°, giving a strong, enveloping stereo width and stage-extension effect on well-recorded tracks. Good low-level dynamics - solid bass thump at quiet listening volumes without over-accentuation. Strong distortion and compression control through the bass and midrange. Real nominal impedance closer to 4 ohms than the marketed 8 ohms, so with the right amplifier it can be driven hard - a $3,000 two-channel integrated brought out significantly more life than a budget $300 unit could. Excellent value at its roughly $2,200/pair MSRP, ranking among the reviewer’s top picks under $2,500; outperforms the similarly-priced Klipsch RP-8000F II in bass extension and overall smoothness.
Cons: Compression in the high frequencies rises sharply between 96dB and 102dB output - a real limitation only at very high volumes (around 100dB at 3 meters), but a clear step down from pricier ($5,000+) towers. Horizontal directivity mismatch around 4-5kHz, where the tweeter flares wider than the midrange, can sound a bit forward - especially noticeable when toed out further into the room; sidewall absorption or curtains help tame it. Harmonic distortion crosses the reviewer’s 3% threshold around 7kHz at 96dB output, possibly contributing to that same forward quality at high volume. Narrow vertical sweet spot (about ±15° from the tweeter axis), typical of non-coaxial tower designs - more of a consideration for multi-row home theater seating than single-row listening. The ring-radiator tweeter narrows noticeably above about 7-8kHz, and toeing the speaker out more than about 20° causes the top end to fall off quickly. Needs at least 2 feet of clearance from the rear wall to avoid boomy, exaggerated bass, since it lacks the bass-shelf tuning some rivals use to allow closer wall placement. Compared to the pricier KEF R5 Meta, has narrower horizontal (and much narrower vertical) directivity, so seating flexibility is more limited.
Full Polk Audio Reserve R700 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 45"H x 12.6"W x 16.9"D (1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 8" polypropylene cone woofers, 1x 6.5" turbine cone midrange, 1x 1" Pinnacle ring radiator tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 87.5dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 102.1 lbs / 46.3 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, down-firing |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs Q Acoustics 5040
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs Emotiva Airmotiv T2+
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs PSB Imagine T65
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs ELAC DF63
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs JBL HDI-3600
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs Polk Reserve R500
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs KEF R11 Meta
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs Revel Concerta2 F35
- See all 21 comparisons