It is not easy to find a good pair of headphones. As opposed to shopping for standing speakers, though, it is a piece of cake. The cost of buying speakers can be pretty high. In this post, we have included the Polk S50 vs S55 comparison.
Standing speakers need considerable time and effort.
The satisfaction of listening to music when on the move is unrivaled. We are walking to work while listening to our favourite tune.
While enjoying a jog, we are blasting some motivational music or listening to a soothing song while traveling.
The only thing that is potentially better than jamming to music on your headphones is the soothing sound of your favourite songs streaming from a high-quality home speaker device.
If you are passionate about music, you will want to make sure the speakers you use can deliver high-quality sound.
You will lack the lush, intricate sounds that make up your music or soundtrack if you do not have a pair of floor standing speakers in your home audio setup.
A good collection of floor-standing speakers will not only enhance the sound quality of your room but will also add some charm to it.
Hopefully, this article will provide you with a comparison between two Polk floor standing speakers, mainly the S50 and S55.
Polk is an American audio company established in 1972 by a group of friends, talented engineers, and music lovers.
Brief About Polk Speakers – Polk S50 vs S55
Polk has a host of flagship features like the Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter, which enhances high-frequency audio around a room.
Additionally, they pioneered a turbine cone woofer design that ensures improved sound resolution, which provides for a complete musical experience.
Before we dive straight into the comparison between these two floor-standing speakers, we must understand precisely a floor-standing speaker and what factors one must consider before purchasing it.
As the name suggests, floor standing speakers are long, rectangular, and tall speakers that stand on the ground or floor. It does not require any stand or hook etc.
The more robust drivers in floor standing speakers are built to create more effects.
Thanks to the advancements in today’s technology, these speakers can avail at different price points that suit every budget bracket.
With regards to these Polk speakers, Polk’s flagship range, which specializes in home theatre systems, includes the Polk S50 and the Polk S55.
These speakers are for people who have a clear idea of what they want and are prepared to buy.
Since their introduction to the industry, the S50 and the S55 are always with one another.
Polk’s brands, in retrospect, all offer good efficiency and consistency. What’s most impressive is how well it creates music.
The S55 and S50 are surround sound floor standing speakers that add movie theatre and music studio experience to the comfort of your own home.
The most significant thing is that these are active voices, not passive ones.
This limited-edition speaker features terylene tweeters, which have surpassed the conventional silk dome tweeters.
This enhances audio precision, crisp sound, and high-definition high-frequency playbacks, resulting in clear voices with no distortions.
The power port on the underside of the speakers is another exciting aspect of the iconic sequence.
Polk S50
Polk S50
Key Highlights
- American HiFi Home Theater Tower Speaker
- Polk Dynamic Balance Designed Acoustic Array
- Exclusive Polk Power Port Deep Bass Technology
Polk’s Iconic Series includes the Polk S50, an American Hi-Fi home theatre tower speaker.
These are prominent tower speakers, also described as floor-standing speakers since they sit on the ground. This is how they work and where they fit.
The Polk S50 is a powerful surround sound speaker system with a high amplitude and exceptional speaker drivers that produce audio clarity unmatched by any speakers in the industry.
This functionality is beneficial not just for home theatre setups but primarily for music systems.
You can hear some songs, and these speakers will not let you down in terms of audio quality.
Furthermore, the Polk S50s’ tweeter dome is built of a modern material called Terylene, which aids in the reduction of audio resonance.
It reduces echo and eliminates distortions while still improving low-frequency responses and enabling dispersion.
Overall, the more significant design of the drivers within the speaker system makes the speaker effective, and the sound quality persists, with clear bass, clean voices, and noisy audio.
The build quality of the speakers is indeed impressive.
The sturdy construction and customizable architecture help to provide excellent acoustics while also reducing unnecessary waves and distortion.
The proprietary Polk power port deep bass innovation is another outstanding aspect of the S50s. The term is bold, and the quality is efficient.
This power port innovation is explicitly engineered for seamless air intake and an outtake from the speaker’s ports to the listening environment.
This necessitates an improvement in total bass as a result of the increased surface area and a reduction in distortion.
The Polk S50 offers an excellent surround sound experience and is an exceptional speaker for listening to music.
The Polk S50s did not sacrifice their volume when seeking to upgrade their drivers, which is critical for many consumers.
Even at half the volume capacity, they are incredibly loud.
Polk S55
Polk S55
Key Highlights
- Polk Power Port Deep Bass Technology
- American HiFi Home Theater Tower Speaker
- Polk Dynamic Balance Designed Acoustic Array
The sound quality on the S55s is outstanding and will fascinate you.
The Polk S55, as a counterpart to the S50s, has a bulky appearance and a large size that complements your sound system.
The Polk S55 is made up of three speaker drivers that operate together to have the highest possible sound quality.
It has a versatile balanced acoustic array that uses two 6.5-inch drivers and a 1-inch Terylene tweeter dome to offer accurate highs, such as vocals, accents, and dialogues, as well as powerful lows.
This one-of-a-kind feature makes for cleaner airflow within the woofers, increasing surface area and enabling a stronger bass response.
The bass and the power port technology improve, which reduces sound distortions for a crisper quality.
One can generate a surround sound system with a pair of the S55s, which results in twice the performance, volume, and experience.
The Polk S55 is a stereo speaker including surround sound technology on par with several well-known audio production firms such as Dolby Atmos and IMAX.
The performance and efficiency are noticeable from the outside, and you can experience it in your body as soon as you power it on.
The Polk S55 is an excellent option for viewing movies or listening to music.
The S55 sticks out among other great floor-standing speakers, as you are already aware of its mind-blowing quality and Polks unwavering dedication to providing value to its customers through these devices.
When you have the S55s, you do not have to limit yourself to movies and songs. These speakers can also be used to play video games.
Connect it to your television to taste what it is like to be inside the game.
Furthermore, using the Polk S55s for sound performance makes practicing with musical instruments much easier and more immersive.
Overall, this speaker has all of the complex features that audiophiles are looking for.
Polk S50 vs S55 – Specs & Features
| Polk S50 | Polk S55 | |
| 14.5 | Weight (kg) | 19.9 |
| 20 | Power RMS (Watts) | 20 |
| 89 | Sensitivity (dB) | 90 |
| 8 | Nominal Impedance (Ω) | 8 |
| 40 | Maximum Frequency Response (kHz) | 40 |
| 33 | Minimum Frequency Response (Hz) | 32 |
| 150 | Peak Power (Watts) | 200 |
| 2 | Number of Woofers | 2 |
| 1 | Number of Tweeters | 1 |
| 1 | Tweeter Size (inches) | 1 |
| 5.25 | Woofer Size (inches) | 6.5 |
| Terylene | Tweeter Material | Terylene |
| Mica-reinforced Polypropylene | Woofer Material | Polypropylene |
| Black | Colour | Black |
In order to better understand some of the specifications of both the products and what they mean, I will try to break it down for you below.
The best part about these speakers is that they provide you with a theatre-like experience minus the crowds, which is a fantastic feature considering the unprecedented times we are facing.
Another aspect that distinguishes the S55s is its Bi-amp feature, which allows you to connect an amplifier to the speakers and fine-tune the sound to your preferences.
So, if the recording is not up to par, there’s still room for growth.
Besides that, if you already have a speaker, the Polk S55 integrates smoothly and improves the consistency more now than ever.
The Polk S55 might not be the most attractive floor-standing speaker and will not let you down.
It can be placed anywhere around the room, and the output will remain consistent regardless of where you are in the room.
Below is a table that draws a comparison between the specs of the two speakers.
What is sensitivity? and how does in influence the performance of these headphones ?
The sensitivity of a speaker refers to how often it transforms an electrical signal into an acoustic signal.
Generally, the sensitivity of speakers is measured in decibels of sound pressure level per milliwatt.
The speaker’s sensitivity determines how loud they can be at a given volume level from the source.
The Polk S55 has got one over its counterpart, the Polk S50.
However, the difference between the two is not sufficient, and therefore sensitivity should not be the sole factor when it comes to picking between the two.
Frequency Response?
The frequency-specific sensitivity of the output is referred to as speaker frequency response.
The frequency responses demonstrate the spectrum of frequencies that speakers can reproduce.
The optimal frequency range is 20 Hz to 20 kHz, which is the audible sound range.
Both the speakers have a frequency of range of 32/33Hz to 40KHz, which, again, barely separates the two.
What is Nominal impedance?
Impedance is the resistance to current flow. The lower the impedance, the less current flowed.
Impedance is expressed in Ohms, which is denoted by the Greek letter Omega (Ω).
Earphones, headphones, and speakers have resistances ranging from 8 Ohms to 600 Ohms or more.
In this specific case, both the Polk speakers have a Nominal Impedance of 8 Ohms. Once again, they both have the same value.
The specifications mentioned above are not unique to headphones but also to earphones & headphones alike. Now that we have understood the software.
Verdict – Polk S50 vs S55
Purchasing speakers in the first place might seem quite a daunting task as we want the best speaker at the lowest price.
One that offers us the best bass, treble, and potentially even a good style.
However, this is not the case most times as different brands manufacture speakers at various price points using their core strengths or specialties that have a specific use.
The abundance of options in today’s world makes buying every product extremely hard, although reasonably economical.
However, with advancements in today’s technology, globalization, and the significant improvement of logistics, brands can acquire the best possible components for their products at competitive prices.
Different speakers cater to each specific need exceptionally well, and some are quite holistic in what they offer.
Moreover, you must also review and revise your budget accordingly. It is not worth breaking your bank for a pair of speakers simply.
Additionally, specific speakers can also add to your room’s décor and aesthetic. I hope the list curated in this article will be of great help to you all.
The S50 is less expensive than the S55. However, when it falls to value for money, the S55s are unbeatable.
Irrespective of having some improvements, the S50 is nothing similar to the S55, even though there is a huge price gap.
Bass is another area where the S55 outperforms the S50.
Polk’s proprietary power port technology is present in both speakers. However, the S55 has a higher output voltage.
Its drivers are effective and do not need to be pushed to do well.
One can install a subwoofer to close up the holes if you like, but it is entirely up to individual preference.
Ending Thoughts On Polk S50 Vs S55
The S55 is much better at processing sound at all speeds, be it highs or lows, concerning richness and audio clarity.
The S55 compensates for the S50’s lack of detail with crispness and high resolution.
Finally, in terms of compatibility, the S50s’ somewhat reduced scale allows it to fit into tight spaces.
This is not a big deal, so you will not have to carry too much furniture, which is a bonus.
Moreover, with regards to looks, design, and aesthetic the S50 is miles ahead of the S55. Before investing in this magnitude, understand why you need it.
Is it for your weekend Netflix binge-watch? is it to stream sports or just jam to some of your favourite tunes.
Moreover, on Amazon the S50 has a rating of 4.8/5-star rating as rated by 69 people. Whereas the S55 has a 4.8/5-star rating as rated by 159 people.
Therefore, as you can see, there is not much that separates the two-floor standing speakers.
The Polk S55 is the clear winner. Many of the specs were similar, so it is a tough contest. However, the sounds had more impact on all kinds of music, and the bass was slightly better.
While watching shows, the voices were crystal clear. Though the Polk S50 is a solid option, the Polk S55 is well worth the extra cash.
Moreover, offering a 5-year warranty offers an above-average industry standard as most brands provide warranties for 1 or 2 years a best.
Let us know your views about the Polk S50 vs S55 in the comment section.
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