Short answer: the Revel F206 for better sound quality, the Polk Reserve R500 for the lower price. The Revel F206 ranks #19 of 59 floorstanding speakers at $2000. The Polk Reserve R500 ranks #30 at $699, $1301 cheaper.
What the Revel F206 offers: CEA2034 spinorama shows a pretty even on-axis response. Predicted in-room response is excellent, with a smooth downward slope. Watch for: Some directivity error and a small peak around 4.5kHz show up alongside the directivity error around 3kHz.
The case for the Polk Reserve R500: Dual 5.25” midwoofers paired with a ring radiator tweeter in a floorstanding tower design. Set against that: A bump around 4-6kHz gives a “shouty,” mildly sibilant quality in the lower treble.
Buy the Revel F206 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Polk Reserve R500 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Revel F206 | Polk Reserve R500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2000 used, Discontinued | $699.00 |
| Ranked | #19 of 59 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #30 of 59 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 40.3"H x 8.4"W x 12.2"D (1023.6 x 213.4 x 309.9 mm) | 40.3"H x 6.8"W x 12.4"D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.3 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) | 4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 8 ohms nominal per manufacturer) |
| Drivers | Dual 6.5" (16.5 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Woofers, 5.25" (13.3 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Midrange, 1" (2.5 cm) Aluminum Tweeter with Acoustic Lens Waveguide | Two 5.25" Turbine Cone woofer, 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (measured, Audio Science Review) | 86.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 57.3 lbs / 26 kg each | 39.2 lbs / 17.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front | ported, rear |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Revel F206: $2000 used, Discontinued
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows a pretty even on-axis response. Predicted in-room response is excellent, with a smooth downward slope. Horizontal beamwidth of about ±65 degrees is wide, if a bit uneven. Distortion is very nice at 86dB SPL/1m, falling below the frequency range where human hearing is most sensitive, and stays excellent even at 96dB SPL/1m. Near-field measurements of the individual drivers show nice suppression of port and woofer resonances. Really amazing value for the performance.
Cons: Some directivity error and a small peak around 4.5kHz show up alongside the directivity error around 3kHz. Vertical directivity means listening position needs to stay within the tweeter axis, though the reviewer notes there is some leeway. Minimum impedance dips to 3.3 ohms, calling for an amplifier comfortable with a demanding load. Discontinued.
Full Revel F206 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 40.3"H x 8.4"W x 12.2"D (1023.6 x 213.4 x 309.9 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | Dual 6.5" (16.5 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Woofers, 5.25" (13.3 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Midrange, 1" (2.5 cm) Aluminum Tweeter with Acoustic Lens Waveguide |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.3 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 57.3 lbs / 26 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
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Polk Reserve R500: $699.00 Amazon
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.
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) |
| 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) |
| Weight | 39.2 lbs / 17.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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