Short answer: the Polk Reserve R100. It ranks #75 of 105 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $649; the B&W 805S ranks #86 and costs $2500, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Polk Reserve R100: Compact cabinet, unusually useful bass for its size and well-controlled woofer breakup. Watch for: Erin measured only about 85dB sensitivity and the impedance reaches 3.6 ohms, so it is neither efficient nor an entirely benign AVR load.
What the B&W 805S gets right: Bass and dynamic performance are strong for the cabinet size, playing very loud with well-controlled bass distortion. The catch: 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 Reserve R100. 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 Reserve R100 | B&W 805S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $649/pair | $2500 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #75 of 105 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #86 of 105 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 80Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 49Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Impedance | 3.6 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum) |
| Drivers | 1" Pinnacle ring-radiator tweeter; 5.25" Turbine Cone midwoofer | 1" aluminum dome tweeter, 6.5" woven Kevlar cone mid/bass |
| Dimensions | 12.8"H x 6.5"W x 10.2"D | 16.5H x 9.4W x 13.8D in |
| Weight | 12.2 lb each | 25.4 lbs / 11.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear X-Port | ported, rear |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 49Hz - 22kHz +/-3dB (-6dB at 42Hz and 50kHz) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | - | 50-120W |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL XPL-90 vs Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator
- KEF R3 Meta vs Polk R200
- MoFi SourcePoint 8 vs Polk R200
- KEF Q350 vs B&W 805S
- Polk R200 vs B&W 805S
The Two Speakers In Full
Polk Reserve R100: $649/pair Amazon Polk Audio
Pros: Compact cabinet, unusually useful bass for its size and well-controlled woofer breakup. Erin measured F3/F10 points of 68Hz/49Hz, and the X-Port vent avoids much of the chuffing and pipe resonance common to budget rear ports. The 5.25-inch Turbine Cone woofer and 1-inch Pinnacle ring-radiator tweeter produce good detail at moderate levels, while listening roughly 20° off-axis reduces part of the elevated top octave.
Cons: Erin measured only about 85dB sensitivity and the impedance reaches 3.6 ohms, so it is neither efficient nor an entirely benign AVR load. The treble runs roughly 3dB above the midrange and becomes aggressive above about 85dB SPL. A directivity discontinuity through the woofer/tweeter crossover means EQ cannot fully repair the power response, and a 400Hz impedance feature plus 500Hz-1kHz response irregularity suggests a cabinet or system resonance. Substantial low-frequency compression at higher playback levels limits clean dynamics.
Full Polk Reserve R100 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 49Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 12.8"H x 6.5"W x 10.2"D |
| Drivers | 1" Pinnacle ring-radiator tweeter; 5.25" Turbine Cone midwoofer |
| Impedance | 3.6 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 12.2 lb each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear X-Port |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Polk R200
- Polk Reserve R100 vs JBL XPL-90
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- Polk Reserve R100 vs Revel Performa M22
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Focal Aria 906
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Sonus Faber Lumina II
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2
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- See all 16 comparisons
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