Short answer: the Polk T50, if you are buying new. The KEF R5 ranks higher than it (#40 vs #126 of 188 floorstanding speakers, 4.4/5 vs 3.8/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Polk T50 is still sold new at $374.
The Polk T50 is the deeper-bass choice. Pretty deep bass for the price. Its bass reaches about 47Hz before falling 3dB, against 77Hz for the KEF R5. The tradeoff: 5dB peak at 1kHz, 4dB bright top end from 11kHz on up.
The KEF R5 is the more accurate option. 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. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 5.78 against 4.14 for the Polk T50. The tradeoff: 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.
Buy the Polk T50, since the KEF R5 is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Polk T50 | KEF R5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $374 per pair | $2,999 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #126 of 188 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #40 of 188 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 77Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.2 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) | Approximately 3.5 ohms minimum near 150Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5” bi-laminate paper cone woofers, 1x 1” Terylene dome tweeter + 2x 8” passive bass radiators | 1” aluminum tweeter coaxial with 5” midrange; dual 5.25” woofers |
| Weight | 75.4 lbs (34.2 kg) | 59.5 lbs (27 kg) each |
| Sensitivity | 86.3dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) | Approximately 86dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 40.4”H x 9.3”W x 12.5”D (1026.2 x 235.0 x 317.5 mm) | 40.4”H x 6.9”W x 13.5”D |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.14 | 5.78 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.15 | 7.40 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How KEF R5 compares with other leading options:
- KEF Blade Two Meta vs KEF R5
- MoFi SourcePoint 888 vs KEF R5
- Revel F328Be vs KEF R5
- KEF R5 Meta vs KEF R5
- Revel F226Be vs KEF R5
Prices on this page were last checked October 7, 2026 at 9:25 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 T50: $374 per pair Amazon eBay
Same family: the Polk T15 (bookshelf, rated 1.9/5).
Pros: Pretty deep bass for the price. Distortion at 86dB SPL/1m is reasonably controlled outside a narrow spike around 250Hz. The reviewer notes performance is “not too bad for a budget speaker” once the two main tonal issues are addressed with EQ. Measured bass extension of 47Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.3dB.
Cons: 5dB peak at 1kHz, 4dB bright top end from 11kHz on up. Just okay vertical off axis. Impedance and phase show several resonances between 200Hz-1kHz, with a minimum impedance of 4.2 ohms. Distortion rises substantially at 96dB SPL/1m across the midrange, with repeated peaks between 100Hz-2kHz.
Full Polk T50 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 40.4”H x 9.3”W x 12.5”D (1026.2 x 235.0 x 317.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5” bi-laminate paper cone woofers, 1x 1” Terylene dome tweeter + 2x 8” passive bass radiators |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.2 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 86.3dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.14 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.15 |
| Weight | 75.4 lbs (34.2 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
KEF R5: $2,999 per pair Discontinued eBay
Same family: the KEF R3 (bookshelf, rated 4.5/5), the KEF R7 (larger floorstanding, ranked lower, estimated 4.2/5), the KEF R11 (larger floorstanding, ranked lower, estimated 4.3/5) and the KEF R2c (center, rated 4/5).
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. Measured bass extension of 77Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86dB.
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) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 40.4”H x 6.9”W x 13.5”D |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.78 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.40 |
| Weight | 59.5 lbs (27 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons