Short answer: the Polk Audio XT60 for cheap bass depth, the Polk Reserve R500 for tighter behavior. The XT60’s passive-radiator design, a 6.5” woofer with two 6.5” passive radiators, reaches 43.9Hz at -3dB and 38.1Hz at -10dB, but its bass alignment Q is the highest, least-controlled figure measured here, consistent with a loose, boomy low end. The R500 costs $801.98 more and has a 4-6kHz bump that makes the lower treble shouty.
Buy the Polk Reserve R500. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $801.98 you would save on the Polk Audio XT60 does not close the gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Polk Reserve R500 | Polk Audio XT60 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,259.98 per pair | $458 per pair |
| Ranked | #37 of 74 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #59 of 74 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 38.1Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 43.9Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Dimensions | 40.3”H x 6.8”W x 12.4”D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) | 19.05 x 92.5 x 23.09cm (7.5 x 36.4 x 9.09 in) each |
| Impedance | 4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 8 ohms nominal per manufacturer) | 4/8-ohm compatible |
| Sensitivity | 86.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86dB (1W/1m) |
| Drivers | Two 5.25” Turbine Cone woofer, 1” Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter | 1” Terylene dome tweeter, 6.5” bilaminate polypropylene woofer, 2x 6.5” passive radiators |
| Weight | 39.2 lbs (17.8 kg) each | 20 lbs (9.07 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | Passive radiator-loaded |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.86 | 5.19 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.44 | 7.13 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 3, 2026 at 10:26 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 Reserve R500: $1,259.98 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: Dual 5.25” midwoofers paired with a ring radiator tweeter in a floorstanding tower design. Surprisingly neutral overall compared to Polk’s smaller bookshelf models: notably more even-handed than the brighter-sounding R200 the reviewer tested previously. Good linearity on-axis, within about -3/+2dB. Sensitivity close to 86dB, easily driven to adequate levels in a small-to-medium room with a 100W-capable amplifier. Takes very well to EQ: a single band of correction (about a 2dB cut around 4-5kHz) resolves the main tonal issue and transforms the sound. Dynamic range and compression performance is solidly “medium,” holding up fine through about 20dB of level increase before higher-frequency and bass output start to taper at extreme volumes. Measured bass extension of 51Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.2dB.
Cons: A bump around 4-6kHz gives a “shouty,” mildly sibilant quality in the lower treble. Counterintuitively, toeing the speaker out to reduce brightness makes this worse rather than better, since the ring-radiator tweeter’s directivity narrows rapidly above about 6-7kHz: pointed on-axis retains enough top-end air to balance the bump, but toed away that air drops off and the shoutiness stands out more. Bass is adequate for its 5.25” woofers but lacks real weight below about 40-50Hz; a subwoofer is still needed for movies and bass-heavy music. A cabinet resonance around 160-170Hz subtracts from rather than adds boom to the mid-bass region. Vertical listening window is fairly narrow: sitting more than about 10-20° above or below the tweeter axis causes a suckout in the 2-5kHz range, reducing clarity and attack. Multitone distortion ramps up noticeably around 1kHz, and crossing over to a subwoofer at 80Hz doesn’t meaningfully reduce it: likely a surround-related effect rather than excursion-related. Without applying corrective EQ, the reviewer says the 4-6kHz brightness would make it harder to live with day to day.
Full Polk Reserve R500 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 40.3”H x 6.8”W x 12.4”D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) |
| Drivers | Two 5.25” Turbine Cone woofer, 1” Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter |
| Impedance | 4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 8 ohms nominal per manufacturer) |
| Sensitivity | 86.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.86 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.44 |
| Weight | 39.2 lbs (17.8 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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Polk Audio XT60: $458 per pair Amazon B&H Photo Video Crutchfield eBay
Pros: Passive-radiator-loaded design (6.5” woofer plus two 6.5” passive radiators) gives deeper bass than the driver size alone would suggest: 43.9Hz at -3dB / 38.1Hz at -10dB, genuinely competitive extension for a budget tower. Hi-Res Audio certified, Dolby Atmos/DTS:X compatible, and works with either 4- or 8-ohm amplifier outputs. Measured bass extension of 43.9Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Bass alignment Q (lfq 0.96) is the highest, least-controlled figure in this entire batch, consistent with owner reports of a slightly loose, boomy low end at higher volumes. On-axis response is also relatively uneven, with narrow-band deviation of about 0.51dB. The vinyl-wrapped (not wood veneer) cabinet reads as budget up close per owner reviews, and at least one owner reported blowing a driver under sustained heavy bass: some caution is warranted with bass-heavy source material at volume.
Full Polk Audio XT60 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38.1Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43.9Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 19.05 x 92.5 x 23.09cm (7.5 x 36.4 x 9.09 in) each |
| Drivers | 1” Terylene dome tweeter, 6.5” bilaminate polypropylene woofer, 2x 6.5” passive radiators |
| Impedance | 4/8-ohm compatible |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (1W/1m) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.19 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.13 |
| Weight | 20 lbs (9.07 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Passive radiator-loaded |
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- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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