Short answer: the Polk R200. It ranks #74 of 105 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $799; the B&W 805S ranks #86 and costs $2500, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Polk R200 offers: Two-way design with a 6.5” midwoofer and 1” ring radiator tweeter, giving reasonably tight, well-defined imaging. Set against that: A resonance and associated distortion increase around 800Hz-1kHz creates a “tinny,” occasionally glaring quality on certain instruments and vocals, confirmed both by ear and in the frequency-response and distortion measurements.
On the B&W 805S side: Bass and dynamic performance are strong for the cabinet size, playing very loud with well-controlled bass distortion. The tradeoff: CEA2034 spinorama shows directivity breaking down badly starting around 1kHz and staying poor to 3kHz - a wide crossover-region flaw the reviewer called “clearly flawed execution” that leaves vocals sounding recessed and masked without EQ correction.
Buy the Polk R200. It ranks higher for sound quality than the B&W 805S and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the B&W 805S. It ranks near the bottom of the 105 bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Polk R200 | B&W 805S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $799.00 | $2500 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #74 of 105 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #86 of 105 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 74Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 80Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.8 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB | 86.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 25mm soft dome + 165mm woofer | 1" aluminum dome tweeter, 6.5" woven Kevlar cone mid/bass |
| Weight | 31.3 lbs / 14.2 kg | 25.4 lbs / 11.5 kg each |
| Dimensions | 14.1"H x 7.5"W x 13.9"D (359.0 x 190.0 x 353.8 mm) | 16.5H x 9.4W x 13.8D in |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 49Hz - 22kHz +/-3dB (-6dB at 42Hz and 50kHz) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | - | 50-120W |
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- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs Triangle Borea BR03
- Focal Aria 906 vs Revel Performa M22
- KEF R3 Meta vs Polk R200
- KEF Q350 vs B&W 805S
The Two Speakers In Full
Polk R200: $799.00 Amazon
Pros: Two-way design with a 6.5” midwoofer and 1” ring radiator tweeter, giving reasonably tight, well-defined imaging. Neutral through most of the midrange (roughly 200Hz-1kHz). On-axis response holds within about 1.5dB up to 10kHz. About 20dB of usable dynamic range (76dB to 96dB) before more significant compression sets in. Reasonably close to a 4-ohm nominal load, giving some flexibility with amplifier choice, though a dedicated 4-ohm-capable amp is still recommended.
Cons: A resonance and associated distortion increase around 800Hz-1kHz creates a “tinny,” occasionally glaring quality on certain instruments and vocals, confirmed both by ear and in the frequency-response and distortion measurements. Above about 10kHz, the ring-radiator tweeter takes on an artificial, “digital-esque” quality, then falls off quickly above 16kHz. F3 of 74Hz and F10 of 50Hz mean there’s essentially no meaningful bass “thump” below about 60Hz - a subwoofer is strongly recommended even just to restore basic kick-drum presence. The ring radiator tweeter’s dispersion narrows sharply above about 8kHz, so the speaker should be aimed close to on-axis (no more than 5-10° of toe-out). Vertical listening position is fairly critical - moving more than a few degrees above or below the tweeter line causes a noticeable timbre shift due to a gap in the crossover region. Multitone distortion spikes substantially (to around 10%) in the 600Hz-1kHz region at higher output levels (around 96dB/1m), meaning the glare gets worse the louder it’s played. At the highest tested output (102dB, 26dB of dynamic range), the woofer shows clear signs of struggling; crossing to a subwoofer around 80-100Hz helps prevent bottoming out but doesn’t fully eliminate the compression.
Full Polk R200 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 74Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 14.1"H x 7.5"W x 13.9"D (359.0 x 190.0 x 353.8 mm) |
| Drivers | 25mm soft dome + 165mm woofer |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.8 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB |
| Weight | 31.3 lbs / 14.2 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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B&W 805S: $2500 Discontinued
Pros: Bass and dynamic performance are strong for the cabinet size, playing very loud with well-controlled bass distortion. Horizontal beamwidth stays reasonably smooth through -6dB. Build quality has enough of a “quality feel” that the reviewer said it kept the speaker from the lowest possible rating.
Cons: CEA2034 spinorama shows directivity breaking down badly starting around 1kHz and staying poor to 3kHz - a wide crossover-region flaw the reviewer called “clearly flawed execution” that leaves vocals sounding recessed and masked without EQ correction. A high 4kHz crossover point appears to leave the tweeter’s small sub-enclosure resonating audibly during playback. Discontinued, superseded by the 805 Diamond/805 D4 series. Discontinued.
Full B&W 805S review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 80Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 16.5H x 9.4W x 13.8D in |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1" aluminum dome tweeter, 6.5" woven Kevlar cone mid/bass |
| Frequency Response | 49Hz - 22kHz +/-3dB (-6dB at 42Hz and 50kHz) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum) |
| Power Handling | 50-120W |
| Sensitivity | 86.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 25.4 lbs / 11.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons