Short answer: the KEF R5 for better sound quality, the Polk Audio Reserve R700 for the lower price. The KEF R5 ranks #10 of 68 floorstanding speakers at $2999. The Polk Audio Reserve R700 ranks #32 at $1199, $1800 cheaper.
What the Polk Audio Reserve R700 offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
What the KEF R5 offers: Slim three-way tower with the acoustic advantages of KEF’s coincident Uni-Q midrange/tweeter: horizontal and vertical off-axis responses track the direct sound smoothly, producing stable imaging and a well-behaved directivity index. Erin measured deep low-frequency reach for the cabinet width—77Hz F3 but 33Hz F10—and less than 1% harmonic distortion at 86dB. At 96dB it remains clean when high-passed, and its mild response deviations are suitable for equalization because the radiation pattern stays orderly. Watch for: The unusual gap between 77Hz F3 and 33Hz F10 indicates a gradual bass contour rather than flat deep-bass output; a subwoofer and roughly 80Hz high-pass are recommended for high-level playback. Erin measured a minimum near 3.5 ohms around 150Hz, although most of the curve remains above 4 ohms, so amplifier quality still matters. Sensitivity is approximately 86dB/2.83V/1m. At 102dB, compression reaches roughly 1dB around 150Hz, showing the limits of the twin 5.25-inch woofers. This original model lacks the Meta version’s MAT rear-wave absorption.
Buy the Polk Audio Reserve R700 if the price matters more than sound quality. Buy the KEF R5 if sound quality matters more than the price.
Specifications Side By Side
| Polk Audio Reserve R700 | KEF R5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,199.00 | $2,999/pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #32 of 68 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #10 of 68 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 77Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) | Approximately 3.5 ohms minimum near 150Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 87.5dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | Approximately 86dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 2x 8" polypropylene cone woofers, 1x 6.5" turbine cone midrange, 1x 1" Pinnacle ring radiator tweeter | 1" aluminum tweeter coaxial with 5" midrange; dual 5.25" woofers |
| Weight | 102.1 lbs / 46.3 kg | 59.5 lb each |
| 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) | 40.4"H x 6.9"W x 13.5"D |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
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Prices on this page were last checked August 24, 2026 at 6:53 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: $1,199.00 Amazon eBay
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 |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Top 5 Just Changed: Polk Audio Reserve R700 Review More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Absolute Favorite Products of 2024 Revealed
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website: Polk Audio Reserve R700
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Reddit Search for Polk Audio Reserve R700 Review
- 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 Debut 3.0 DF63
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs Polk Reserve R500
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs JBL HDI-3600
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs KEF R11 Meta
- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs Definitive Technology BP-9020
- See all 27 comparisons
KEF R5: $2,999/pair Discontinued eBay
Pros: Slim three-way tower with the acoustic advantages of KEF’s coincident Uni-Q midrange/tweeter: horizontal and vertical off-axis responses track the direct sound smoothly, producing stable imaging and a well-behaved directivity index. Erin measured deep low-frequency reach for the cabinet width—77Hz F3 but 33Hz F10—and less than 1% harmonic distortion at 86dB. At 96dB it remains clean when high-passed, and its mild response deviations are suitable for equalization because the radiation pattern stays orderly.
Cons: The unusual gap between 77Hz F3 and 33Hz F10 indicates a gradual bass contour rather than flat deep-bass output; a subwoofer and roughly 80Hz high-pass are recommended for high-level playback. Erin measured a minimum near 3.5 ohms around 150Hz, although most of the curve remains above 4 ohms, so amplifier quality still matters. Sensitivity is approximately 86dB/2.83V/1m. At 102dB, compression reaches roughly 1dB around 150Hz, showing the limits of the twin 5.25-inch woofers. This original model lacks the Meta version’s MAT rear-wave absorption. Discontinued.
Full KEF R5 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 77Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 40.4"H x 6.9"W x 13.5"D |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1" aluminum tweeter coaxial with 5" midrange; dual 5.25" woofers |
| Impedance | Approximately 3.5 ohms minimum near 150Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | Approximately 86dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 59.5 lb each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons