Polk Reserve R350 Review (Center Speaker)

[GimeDsp]

Polk can make great speakers. Keep in mind the LSiM was their previous flagship line and is discontinued.

The Reserve is NOT their flagship line.

I know these are not flagship but why deseign a 4 mid/woofer 2 way that is known to make it garbage when the cheaper model with 2 mid/woofer should have much better performance if all things are equal.

I believe Klipsch has the same 4 mid/woofer set up but at least they build a 2.5 way in there speakers.
When klipsh "RP" series speakers stomp on Polks that's saying something, IMO, I have heard all the RP and I'm not a fan but at least they work better than this.

If this speaker was made a 2.5 way it would probably improve?

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

I know these are not flagship but why deseign a 4 mid/woofer 2 way that is known to make it garbage when the cheaper model with 2 mid/woofer should have much better performance if all things are equal.

I believe Klipsch has the same 4 mid/woofer set up but at least they build a 2.5 way in there speakers.
When klipsh "RP" series speakers stomp on Polks that's saying something, IMO

Cuz looks cool.

 

[deprogrammed]

They show as out of stock to me on the Polk site. The 706c can still be found on Amazon though.

Oh shoot. I should have gone the next step.....
I got mine from Adorama a year or so ago. I am happy with them. Not many 3 way bookshelf and center speakers.

 

[GimeDsp]

Cuz looks cool.

That it does.

I am of the belief that that for HT you find the center channel first and build the system around that. Other wise you end up with thousands invested and a broken center.

I would know as I have learned my lesson the hard way.

 

[beaRA]

I know these are not flagship but why deseign a 4 mid/woofer 2 way that is known to make it garbage when the cheaper model with 2 mid/woofer should have much better performance if all things are equal.

I believe Klipsch has the same 4 mid/woofer set up but at least they build a 2.5 way in there speakers.
When klipsh "RP" series speakers stomp on Polks that's saying something, IMO, I have heard all the RP and I'm not a fan but at least they work better than this.

If this speaker was made a 2.5 way it would probably improve?

To fill a market niche. The R350 does have a 2.5 way crossover.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

That it does.

I am of the belief that that for HT you find the center channel first and build the system around that. Other wise you end up with thousands invested and a broken center.

I would know as I have learned my lesson the hard way.

Must use 3 way unless you can fit matching fronts under screen. Poor man's Infinity. Rather have the Revel monster.

 

[Steve Dallas]

Polk can make great speakers. Keep in mind the LSiM was their previous flagship line and is discontinued.

The Reserve is NOT their flagship line.

No, but emerging data shows several speakers in the Reserve line fix problems found in the flagship Legend line. Just not this particular one.

I had a pair of LSiM703s for many years and very much enjoyed them. Excellent speakers.

 

[Chromatischism]

I knew right away that the four woofers were going to create a directivity problem and cringed a bit waiting for the measurements as I scrolled.

Center speakers really need to get it done with ideally only two woofers and an offset tweeter. Offset mid-range is a bonus. That prevents the woofers from sonically blocking the horizontal dispersion.

 

[GimeDsp]

To fill a market niche. The R350 does have a 2.5 way crossover.

Well, here is what they claim for R350

CROSSOVER​

Tweeter/Mid-range Crossover Frequency	2700
Mid-range/Mid-bass Crossover Frequency	1400

That is not where the low section needs to be to correct the MTM horizontal dispersion.

Here is what Klipsh claims for the RP-404c
CROSSOVER FREQUENCY 500Hz/1500Hz

As far as I am aware, and the experts here would know much better, crossing over the .5 section requires bigger/more expensive components, so Polk was trying to save money or built something physics says would have major issues.
I am not a speaker builder but have and use many HT systems that have all kinds of set ups from w-mtm-w to nested MTM and I can say that the performance of the R350 matches what I would think the crossover design would cause.

If someone that knows this stuff tells me the Polk Xover design makes sense, well, I'll eat my hat, a small piece.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

I knew right away that the four woofers were going to create a directivity problem and cringed a bit waiting for the measurements as I scrolled.

Center speakers really need to get it done with only two woofers and an offset tweeter. Offset mid-range is a bonus. That prevents the woofers from sonically blocking the horizontal dispersion.

There is a $5000 Revel center that may have solved that problem.

 

[danzilla31]

I wonder if you set these up vertically if they could make a good left or right or surround speaker for a small room based on there vertical response. Just curious

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

I wonder if you set these up vertically if they could make a good left or right or surround speaker for a small room based on there vertical response. Just curious

Whyyyy!

 

[Chromatischism]

I wonder if you set these up vertically if they could make a good left or right or surround speaker for a small room based on there vertical response. Just curious

They would make a good front speaker, but why would this form factor even be considered for surrounds?

Edit: it may be the mounting brackets attracting a factor of convenience.

 

[danzilla31]

Whyyyy!

Hah hah totally just curious just seems like they measure that way and they are wall mountable so if you had a small space not a lot of room and they went on sale which they will with polk sooner or later Lol anything could happen right?

 

[danzilla31]

They would make a good front speaker, but why would this form factor even be considered for surrounds?

Edit: it may be the mounting brackets attracting a factor of convenience.

That's what made me think about it they look like they are easy to wall mount

 

[danzilla31]

They would make a good front speaker, but why would this form factor even be considered for surrounds?

Edit: it may be the mounting brackets attracting a factor of convenience.

In a small room tight on space wait for a good sale just seems like it would be a shame to waste all those drivers when in a vertical position they might be good for something

 

[FrankF]

 

[danzilla31]

Now THATS a center channel speaker!

 

[digicidal]

No, but emerging data shows several speakers in the Reserve line fix problems found in the flagship Legend line. Just not this particular one.

I had a pair of LSiM703s for many years and very much enjoyed them. Excellent speakers.

They are my office speakers (LSiM703's not the R350) and I'm enjoying them as I type this. I'd have been more than satisfied had I paid full price, but since I got them on closeout for less than $700 for the pair (shipped) I find them fantastic!

 

[notabenem]

So... if I bought a pair of these and mounted to each side of the TV in an upright position (so it's taller than wider) connected in series, I'd benefit from their very good vertical directivity converted to horizontal and all would be well, right?
and .. the same would apply to something like the JBL Stage A135C (also very slim, just 10cm), since it has the same design, but it's significantly cheaper. Given the universal acclaim of the A130, maybe the A135C are worth a shot - or a test.