Short answer: the Polk T50 for cheap deep bass, the Klipsch Forte IV for a heritage three-way. The T50 gives pretty deep bass for the price, but our notes flag a 5dB peak at 1kHz and a 4dB bright top end from 11kHz on up. The Forte IV pairs a 12” woofer with a 1” titanium tweeter and 1.75” compression driver midrange, and contrary to Klipsch’s classic reputation it is not forward or bright. $5499.98 against $249.
The case for the Klipsch Forte IV: Three-way heritage design: a 1” titanium tweeter and 1.75” compression driver for the midrange mated to a 12” woofer. The catch: Contrary to the classic Klipsch reputation for being forward and bright.
What the Polk T50 gets right: Pretty deep bass for the price. The tradeoff: 5dB peak at 1kHz, 4dB bright top end from 11kHz on up.
Buy the Klipsch Forte IV if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Polk T50 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch Forte IV | Polk T50 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5,499.98 per pair | $249.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #41 of 71 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #55 of 71 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 38Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 82Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 47Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 93.8dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner; manufacturer rates 99dB in-room / ~94dB anechoic) | 86.3dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 1x 12" (305mm) fiber-composite woofer + 15" passive radiator, 1x 1.75" compression driver midrange on horn, 1x 1" titanium compression tweeter on horn | 2x 6.5" bi-laminate paper cone woofers, 1x 1" Terylene dome tweeter + 2x 8" passive bass radiators |
| Weight | 117.3 lbs (53.2 kg) | 75.4 lbs (34.2 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator | passive radiator |
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms nominal (4.2 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 36"H x 16.5"W x 13"D (914.4 x 419.1 x 330.2 mm) | 40.4"H x 9.3"W x 12.5"D (1026.2 x 235.0 x 317.5 mm) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 2.89 | 3.27 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 4.84 | 5.28 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Klipsch Forte IV compares with other leading options:
- GR-Research NX-Treme vs Klipsch Forte IV
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs Klipsch Forte IV
- Klipsch Forte IV vs MoFi SourcePoint V10 Master Edition
- Klipsch Forte IV vs MoFi SourcePoint 888
- Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66 vs Klipsch Forte IV
Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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
Klipsch Forte IV: $5,499.98 per pair Amazon Crutchfield eBay
Pros: Three-way heritage design: a 1” titanium tweeter and 1.75” compression driver for the midrange mated to a 12” woofer, plus a 15” passive radiator for extra bass reinforcement. Genuinely resonance-free cabinet, a clear improvement over the notably boomy, resonant Heresy 4 in the same lineup. Surprisingly wide, expansive soundstage that beat both the Heresy 4 and a KEF LS50 Wireless 2 in direct comparison - images occasionally appeared several feet outside the physical speaker location. Deeper bass extension than the Heresy 4 (F3 of 82Hz, about 10Hz lower). Distortion measures well below 1% at 86dB and stays mostly within 1% even at 96dB. Comes as a factory-matched serial-numbered pair, backed by an unusually generous 10-year warranty. Mostly above 4 ohms impedance, so it’s compatible with AVRs, solid-state, or tube amplifiers. More neutral overall than other Klipsch models the reviewer has tested, making it a reasonable pick for listeners who already like the “Klipsch sound” but want something more balanced. Measured bass extension of 82Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 93.8dB.
Cons: Contrary to the classic Klipsch reputation for being forward and bright, this model is actually somewhat recessed in the 1.5-4kHz “presence” region, which can make some tracks sound dull or lacking in detail. A peak around 6kHz reads as sibilant and “painful” when seated exactly on the tweeter axis; sitting a bit above that axis reduces it somewhat. Klipsch’s marketed 99dB sensitivity figure is an in-room rating that assumes 3-6dB of boundary gain - anechoic sensitivity measures closer to 94dB, which the manufacturer does disclose but can still mislead buyers comparing spec sheets. Radiation width isn’t consistent across all frequencies - a noticeable notch around 2-3kHz interrupts otherwise wide dispersion, which can cause a fundamental tone and its harmonics to image in slightly different places in the soundstage. Uses shallow low-pass crossover slopes (despite Klipsch’s steep-crossover marketing, which applies only to the high-pass side), likely contributing to some of the measured dips and possible cone-breakup artifacts. Some compression shows up around the midrange crossover point at very high output (102dB), though likely only audible at extreme volumes. At around $5500/pair, a significant investment, and still needs a subwoofer for material extending below about 50Hz.
Full Klipsch Forte IV review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 82Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 36"H x 16.5"W x 13"D (914.4 x 419.1 x 330.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 12" (305mm) fiber-composite woofer + 15" passive radiator, 1x 1.75" compression driver midrange on horn, 1x 1" titanium compression tweeter on horn |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 93.8dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner; manufacturer rates 99dB in-room / ~94dB anechoic) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 2.89 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 4.84 |
| Weight | 117.3 lbs (53.2 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator |
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Polk T50: $249.00 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: Pretty deep bass for the price. Distortion at 86dB SPL/1m is reasonably controlled outside a narrow spike around 250Hz. The reviewer notes performance is “not too bad for a budget speaker” once the two main tonal issues are addressed with EQ. Measured bass extension of 47Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.3dB.
Cons: 5dB peak at 1kHz, 4dB bright top end from 11kHz on up. Just okay vertical off axis. Impedance and phase show several resonances between 200Hz-1kHz, with a minimum impedance of 4.2 ohms. Distortion rises substantially at 96dB SPL/1m across the midrange, with repeated peaks between 100Hz-2kHz.
Full Polk T50 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 40.4"H x 9.3"W x 12.5"D (1026.2 x 235.0 x 317.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5" bi-laminate paper cone woofers, 1x 1" Terylene dome tweeter + 2x 8" passive bass radiators |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.2 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 86.3dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.27 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.28 |
| Weight | 75.4 lbs (34.2 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons