Short answer: the Revel F228Be for better sound quality, the Polk T50 for the lower price. The Revel F228Be ranks #16 of 68 floorstanding speakers at $7000. The Polk T50 ranks #55 at $249, $6751 cheaper.
What the Polk T50 offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
What the Revel F228Be offers: CEA2034 spinorama shows an essentially flat on-axis response with very nice directivity. Predicted in-room response is nearly perfect, with a smooth slope down from bass to treble. Horizontal beamwidth of about ±70 degrees is wide and holds up well until narrowing above 8kHz. Vertical directivity offers more degrees of listening-height freedom than a typical bookshelf design, a benefit of this tower’s driver layout. Distortion is extremely low across the full audio range at 86dB SPL/1m and stays comfortable even at 96dB SPL/1m. Near-field measurements of the individual drivers show nice, well-integrated crossover behavior with only low-level resonances. Watch for: Minimum impedance dips to 3.4 ohms with a secondary rise around 2kHz, calling for an amplifier comfortable with a demanding load. Very expensive and very heavy (51 kg each).
Buy the Polk T50 if the price matters more than sound quality. Buy the Revel F228Be if sound quality matters more than the price.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Polk T50. It ranks near the bottom of the 68 floorstanding speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Polk T50 | Revel F228Be | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249.00 | $7000 |
| Ranked | #55 of 68 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #16 of 68 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 25Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 61Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.2 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) | 8 ohms |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5" bi-laminate paper cone woofers, 1x 1" Terylene dome tweeter + 2x 8" passive bass radiators | Dual 8" (200mm) Deep Ceramic Composite aluminum cones, with cast frames woofers, 5-1/4" (130mm) Deep Ceramic Composite aluminum cone, with cast frame midrange, 1" (25mm) Beryllium dome, with acoustic lens waveguide tweeter |
| Weight | 75.4 lbs / 34.2 kg | 112.4 lbs / 51 kg each |
| Sensitivity | 86.3dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) | 89.3dB (300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review; 90dB manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 40.4"H x 9.3"W x 12.5"D (1026.2 x 235.0 x 317.5 mm) | 50.9"H x 13.5"W x 17.6"D (1292.9 x 342.9 x 447 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator | ported, front |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- JBL HDI-3800 vs Revel F208
- KEF Reference 203 vs Revel F208
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Klipsch RP-6000F II
- Revel F228Be vs JBL Studio 698
- Revel F228Be vs ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63
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 T50: $249.00 Amazon eBay
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.
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) |
| 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) |
| Weight | 75.4 lbs / 34.2 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Revel F228Be: $7000 Crutchfield eBay
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows an essentially flat on-axis response with very nice directivity. Predicted in-room response is nearly perfect, with a smooth slope down from bass to treble. Horizontal beamwidth of about ±70 degrees is wide and holds up well until narrowing above 8kHz. Vertical directivity offers more degrees of listening-height freedom than a typical bookshelf design, a benefit of this tower’s driver layout. Distortion is extremely low across the full audio range at 86dB SPL/1m and stays comfortable even at 96dB SPL/1m. Near-field measurements of the individual drivers show nice, well-integrated crossover behavior with only low-level resonances.
Cons: Minimum impedance dips to 3.4 ohms with a secondary rise around 2kHz, calling for an amplifier comfortable with a demanding load. Very expensive and very heavy (51 kg each).
Full Revel F228Be review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 25Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 61Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 50.9"H x 13.5"W x 17.6"D (1292.9 x 342.9 x 447 mm) |
| Drivers | Dual 8" (200mm) Deep Ceramic Composite aluminum cones, with cast frames woofers, 5-1/4" (130mm) Deep Ceramic Composite aluminum cone, with cast frame midrange, 1" (25mm) Beryllium dome, with acoustic lens waveguide tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 89.3dB (300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review; 90dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 112.4 lbs / 51 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons