Polk Reserve R200 Bookshelf Speakers Black

Product Information

The below graphic indicates just how much SPL is lost (compression) or gained (enhancement; usually due to distortion) when the speaker is played at higher output volumes instantly via a 2.7 second logarithmic sine sweep referenced to 76dB at 1 meter. The signals are played consecutively without any additional stimulus applied. Then normalized against the 76dB result. This one-inch tweeter is common to all models in the Reserve series, with the exception of the Atmos speaker R900, which has a ¾-inch Ring Radiator. Polk Audio has been using Ring Radioator for 20 years, and it started with an off-the-shelf product. But after the first incarnation, there has been In-house developed models, and a constant further development. Ring Radiator has been brought over from the Legend series to Reserve. Not in a scaled-down and simplified version as one might expect - this is the original version from the flagship models. The original PowerPort was all about bass performance and to avoid port noise,” Polk personnel apprised us at a special presentation to EISA editors. “The port on a loudspeaker helps to get more lower frequencies and to increase sensitivity of the speaker – but maybe nobody told you that this comes at a price.”

For in September 2019, the Legend series from Polk Audio was launched. This is the best and most expensive series Polk Audio has launched, and consists of the floor models L800 and L600, the stand models L200 and L100, and the formidable center speaker L400. In addition, they have an altitude module for Atmos. This isn’t going to be your typical speaker review. Rather than spending 10,000 words describing different facets of the sound — there are plenty of reviewers more eloquent than me out there — I’m going to mainly focus on the data. Still, I should give you a summary of my thoughts before we jump in. What does it sound like? Ideally, the tweeter should be at just about ear height, within ±5 degrees. Being 10 degrees above or below the tweeter may noticeably alter the sound. That shouldn’t be an issue for most setups, but it’s worth noting if you can’t set your speakers up at ear height or if you listen to the speakers from less than 2m or 6 feet.

Polk Audio Reserve R200 Review: Conclusion

Compression tests show that the speaker can handle a dynamic range of about 20 dB at lower volumes, but at higher volumes, there is compression and distortion, particularly in the low frequencies. Using a crossover at around 80 Hz or 100 Hz can help mitigate these issues. This tweeter comes directly from Polk’s flagship Legend series, and its ring radiator design means no central dome to enter break-up modes, so here achieving lower distortion within the listening range and indeed beyond, as the Pinnacle is ‘hi-res certified’. R200:Very good reproduction which is a nice mix of analytical and lyrical with good sound balance and warm midrange with good reproduction of Lynni's vocals. This is why Spinorama was apparently groundbreaking news for audio industry. Hence in the mid-late 2010's, most brands and magazines began publishing Spinorama measurements, despite the challenges of making such measurements. Unfortunately I forgot to do full 5-degree increments for the vertical listening window as I normally do. 5 degrees below the tweeter axis seemed good though:

Next, we can look at the purple line. This is the ‘predicted in-room response.’ It applies different weights to each of the 70 angles measured to estimate what the speaker’s response will be like in a typical living room (yes, living rooms vary a lot, but it’s still a surprisingly good metric). I enjoyed it but found it not to be as rich, warm and satisfying as I had hoped. In fact the bass seemed too muted with the plugs, but better than without plugs. Today I just turned on the 'loudness' setting on the Sonos connect and I think it sounds much better. Richer with good clarity still. That said, it does mean that the R200’s sound might vary a little more from room to room than speakers with better-controlled verticals. Whhile hear the presence bump as forward vocals, you might hear a recession where the response dips. Polk might’ve been able to improve the vertical response by using a larger waveguide that would allow for a smoother transition between the woofer and tweeter, but that might’ve had the sometimes negative effect of narrowing the soundstage too. While the vertical response is a notable flaw, it’s unlikely to be a major issue in most setups.Another way of discussing this is that where the Reserve R200 appears as a distinctly neutral construction throughout the frequency range, it is tempting to define the R600 as a bass-rich speaker, and at the same time with a touch of v-characteristics. This can of course be a disadvantage for some, and then it may be natural for them to try an R500 instead. But for me, this provided an almost addictive experience. We are talking about a rather extreme fun factor, which gave extra effect to some music with hefty bass. An important part of this is that the bass is reproduced with very high precision - no woolly or spongy bass there, which would have turned this property into something negative.

R200:Fine reproduction of Kolbjørn Falkeid's recitation, set to music by Ketil Bjørnstad. But here some air is missing around the cymbals. What speakers would be the next level up that are still good value relatively. Would I really notice a big difference, since my ears aren't trained.

In theory, with complete 360-degree anechoic data on a loudspeaker and sufficient acoustical and geometrical data on the listening room and its layout it would be possible to estimate with good precision what would be measured by an omnidirectional microphone located in the listening area of that room. By making some simplifying assumptions about the listening space, the data set described above permits a usefully accurate preview of how a given loudspeaker might perform in a typical domestic listening room. Obviously, there are no guarantees, because individual rooms can be acoustically aberrant. Sometimes rooms are excessively reflective (“live”) as happens in certain hot, humid climates, with certain styles of interior décor and in under-furnished rooms. Sometimes rooms are excessively “dead” as in other styles of décor and in some custom home theaters where acoustical treatment has been used excessively. This form of post processing is offered only as an estimate of what might happen in a domestic living space with carpet on the floor and a “normal” amount of seating, drapes and cabinetry. See the white and green lines above? Those represent the frequency response of the ‘direct’ sound — before reflections — with the green line being the ‘on-axis’ response and the white being the ‘listening window.’ Ohms is pretty much the standard nominal impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so Polk Audio Reserve R200 is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.

Awesome DAC with Optical and SPIDF, you won't require to add anything, though I have a SMSL SU9, I still sometimes use the onboard Audiolab DAC connected from my TV or Android Setup box. Downside is it just plays 48khz but that is a limitation from Android side. But one can get away by not investing in a DAC. Found the DAC to be better than Topping D50s. For powerful, distortion-free low frequencies, the Reserve R200 uses the new Power Port 2.0, designed to smooth the flow of air that exits the cabinet. With X-Port technology, the Reserve R200 features specially tuned pipes to direct unwanted resonances and vibrations away from the drivers for clean, loud bass. It's legit! I've only had it in my living room for a few days but I'm pretty hyped about it. Measurements aside, in terms of sound quality per dollar, it's my favorite of the bunch I've just listened to over the past few months(Genelec 8341, Focal Solo6 Be, JBL 4309, HDI-1600). By audio memory, I think the Genelec is the only one I'd be confident saying is noticeably better, The R200 proved truthful at both low levels and high, able to deliver a solid bass and a remarkable clarity of midrange assisted perhaps by that new X-Port, while the Pinnacle tweeter gifts an airy and open treble beyond the likely limits of perception.

The Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter’s distinctive pointed shape guides the dispersion of high frequency sounds around a room. This innovation widens the sweet spot and allows you freedom to enjoy your music and movies wherever you choose to sit. There is every reason to expect that Reserve will be a great success for Polk Audio, because these are speakers that give a rudely good sound in relation to the moderate price tag they have. Yes, sometimes engineers have no say, latter-day Advent was a spec thrown over the wall from Sales and engineers just following that. R600:As expected, a little more focus on the extremes with the floor model, but without it going to the detriment of the sound in Kari Bremnes' vocals.