Short answer: the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower if sound quality matters most, the Polk Audio Reserve R700 if price matters most. The Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower ranks #12 of 228 floorstanding speakers, rated 4.6/5, at $5,698. The Polk Audio Reserve R700 ranks #65, rated 4.3/5, at $2,398, $3,300 cheaper.
Why pick the Polk Audio Reserve R700: Floorstanding speakers with accurate sound, genuinely deep bass, a wide enveloping stage and solid punch even at quiet volumes. 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.
The Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower is the more accurate choice. Highly accurate three way bamboo towers with a ribbon tweeter, deep tight bass and a long warranty. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 6.97 against 6.38 for the Polk Audio Reserve R700. The catch: Listening window smoothness measures a moderate 0.40 and on axis deviation runs 0.286dB average, both trailing the tighter figures posted by some smaller passive AsciLab and Ascend bookshelf models.
Buy the Polk Audio Reserve R700 when the price outweighs sound quality for you, and the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower when sound quality outweighs the price instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Floorstanding speakers with accurate sound, genuinely deep bass, a wide enveloping stage and solid punch even at quiet volumes.
Highly accurate three way bamboo towers with a ribbon tweeter, deep tight bass and a long warranty.
Prices on this page were last checked October 31, 2026 at 7:11 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Polk Audio Reserve R700 | Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,398 per pair | $5,698 per pair |
| Ranked | #65 of 228 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #12 of 228 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 28.5Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 38.7Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 87.5dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 87.5dB @ 2.83V/1m anechoic (manufacturer) |
| Drivers | 2x 8” polypropylene cone woofers, 1x 6.5” turbine cone midrange, 1x 1” Pinnacle ring radiator tweeter | RAAL 70-20xram ribbon tweeter, 6” SEAS Excel Curv midrange (sealed sub-chamber), 2x 6” SEAS Excel aluminum woofers |
| Weight | 102.1 lbs (46.3 kg) | 56 lbs (25.4 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, down-firing | - |
| Dimensions | 45”H x 12.6”W x 16.9”D (1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3 mm) | 43”H x 7.5”W x 10.5”D (1092 x 190 x 267 mm) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.38 | 6.97 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.83 | 8.42 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Enclosure | - | ported |
| Power Handling | - | 400W continuous, 600W peak |
| Frequency Response | - | 36-27,000Hz +/-3dB anechoic (manufacturer) |
| Warranty | - | 7 years parts and labor |
| Country | - | United States |
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