Short answer: the Polk Audio Reserve R700. It ranks #60 of 188 floorstanding speakers by sound quality (rated 4.3/5) at $2,398 and is still sold new; the JBL Studio 590 ranks #178 (rated 2.8/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The JBL Studio 590’s replacement, the JBL Studio 698, is rated 4.3/5.
The Polk Audio Reserve R700 is the more accurate, deeper-bass choice. 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. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 6.38 against 4.49 for the JBL Studio 590. Its bass reaches about 40Hz before falling 3dB, against 48Hz for the JBL Studio 590. 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 case for the JBL Studio 590: Pretty deep bass. The tradeoff: 3dB peak at 1.7kHz, about a 4dB peak from 8k to 13k, going to be bright up top.
Buy the Polk Audio Reserve R700. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the JBL Studio 590 is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Polk Audio Reserve R700 | JBL Studio 590 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,398 per pair | $2,000 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #60 of 188 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #178 of 188 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 32Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 48Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms nominal (5 ohms measured minimum, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 87.5dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 90.3dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 2x 8” polypropylene cone woofers, 1x 6.5” turbine cone midrange, 1x 1” Pinnacle ring radiator tweeter | 2x 8” (200mm) PolyPlas cone woofers, 1x 1” (25mm) Teonex dome tweeter on Bi-Radial horn (2.5-way) |
| Weight | 102.1 lbs (46.3 kg) | 107.8 lbs (48.9 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, down-firing | ported, rear |
| Dimensions | 45”H x 12.6”W x 16.9”D (1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3 mm) | 49.7”H x 12.7”W x 16.3”D (1263.0 x 322.0 x 413.0 mm) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.38 | 4.49 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.83 | 6.22 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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 9, 2026 at 8:01 AM 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 →
| 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
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- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63
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JBL Studio 590: $2,000 per pair Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the JBL Studio 698, ranked higher, rated 4.3/5.
Same family: the JBL Studio 530 (bookshelf, rated 3.3/5) and the JBL Studio 520C (center, rated 3.4/5).
Pros: Pretty deep bass. CEA2034 spinorama is flat on-axis at a high level, with high sensitivity around 89-90dB. Predicted in-room response is good aside from a dip between 800Hz-1.5kHz. Distortion at 86dB SPL/1m is good outside of the 8.5kHz resonance. Measured bass extension of 48Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 90.3dB.
Cons: 3dB peak at 1.7kHz, about a 4dB peak from 8k to 13k, going to be bright up top. Just okay vertical off axis. Really bad resonance at 8.5kHz, which shows up as a sharp distortion spike at both 86dB and 96dB SPL/1m. Cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) reveals many fine resonances across the midrange and treble. At 96dB SPL/1m the midrange and treble get notably messier, with broad distortion elevation from 2-8kHz. Discontinued.
Full JBL Studio 590 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 48Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 49.7”H x 12.7”W x 16.3”D (1263.0 x 322.0 x 413.0 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 8” (200mm) PolyPlas cone woofers, 1x 1” (25mm) Teonex dome tweeter on Bi-Radial horn (2.5-way) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (5 ohms measured minimum, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 90.3dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.49 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.22 |
| Weight | 107.8 lbs (48.9 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Studio 590 vs Sony SS-CS3
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