Short answer: the Polk Audio Reserve R700. It ranks #65 of 226 floorstanding speakers by sound quality, rated 4.3/5, at $2,398; the ELAC Carina FS247.4 ranks #93, rated 4.2/5, at $2,398. With prices this close, go by the sound-quality ranking rather than the cost.
What the Polk Audio Reserve R700 does well: 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.
What the ELAC Carina FS247.4 does well: 2.5-way floorstanding tower featuring dual 5.25-inch compound-curvature aluminum woofers and a high-resolution JET folded-ribbon AMT tweeter. The catch: Rating estimated based on Carina series sibling testing.
Buy the Polk Audio Reserve R700. It is rated higher for sound quality than the ELAC Carina FS247.4 at the same price, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Worth knowing: the ELAC Carina FS247.4 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.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Polk Audio Reserve R700 | ELAC Carina FS247.4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,398 per pair | $2,398 per pair |
| Ranked | #65 of 226 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #93 of 226 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers Estimated |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 34Hz (manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms nominal, 4.8 ohms minimum (manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 87.5dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 87dB (2.83V/1m, manufacturer specified) |
| Drivers | 2x 8” polypropylene cone woofers, 1x 6.5” turbine cone midrange, 1x 1” Pinnacle ring radiator tweeter | JET folded ribbon tweeter, 2 x 5.25” compound curvature aluminum woofers |
| Weight | 102.1 lbs (46.3 kg) | 36.2 lbs (16.4 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) | 42”H x 8.5”W x 9.6”D (1068 x 216 x 245 mm) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.38 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.83 | - |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 34Hz - 30kHz (manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Polk Audio Reserve R700 compares with other leading options:
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs KEF Blade Two Meta
- MoFi SourcePoint V10 Master Edition vs Polk Audio Reserve R700
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs MoFi SourcePoint 888
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs Revel F328Be
- Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66 vs Polk Audio Reserve R700
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 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
Polk Audio Reserve R700: $2,398 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 R500 (smaller floorstanding, ranked lower, rated 4.2/5), the Polk Reserve R600 (smaller floorstanding, ranked lower, estimated 4.2/5), 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: 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 $1199/pair, ranking among the reviewer’s top picks under $2,500; outperforms the similarly-priced Klipsch RP-8000F II in bass extension and overall smoothness. Measured bass extension of 40Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 87.5dB.
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 →
| Released | 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.38 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.83 |
| Weight | 102.1 lbs (46.3 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, down-firing |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs PSB Imagine T65
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs JBL HDI-3600
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs JBL Studio 698
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs ELAC Uni-Fi Reference UFR52
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs Focal Theva N°3
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs Focal Theva N°2
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs Emotiva Airmotiv T2+
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63
- See all 48 comparisons
ELAC Carina FS247.4: $2,398 per pair Estimated Amazon eBay
Same family: the ELAC Carina BS243.4 (bookshelf, rated 4.2/5) and the ELAC Carina CC241.4 (center, estimated 3.6/5).
Pros: 2.5-way floorstanding tower featuring dual 5.25-inch compound-curvature aluminum woofers and a high-resolution JET folded-ribbon AMT tweeter. Delivers lightning-fast transient response, crystalline treble clarity, and downward-firing porting for flexible boundary placement.
Cons: Rating estimated based on Carina series sibling testing. Vertical directivity narrows due to the ribbon geometry, requiring listening within ±15 degrees of the tweeter axis.
Full ELAC Carina FS247.4 review and specifications →
| Released | Aug 2019 (7 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 34Hz (manufacturer specified) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 42”H x 8.5”W x 9.6”D (1068 x 216 x 245 mm) |
| Drivers | JET folded ribbon tweeter, 2 x 5.25” compound curvature aluminum woofers |
| Frequency Response | 34Hz - 30kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 4.8 ohms minimum (manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (2.83V/1m, manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 36.2 lbs (16.4 kg) each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons