Polk Reserve R350 Review (Center Speaker)

[AudioScience Enthusiast]

Where is the port on this speaker?

The water probably got underneath the vinyl wrap and into the MDF, which caused it to expand and maybe warp a little. It's probably a cosmetic issue only and not an audible one unless it caused enough warping to create a crack or hole in the MDF.

The port is on the back.

So far it looks to be warping on the back edge only (between top and back) but I don’t really want to press or peel to find out how deep the damage is as my poking around may potentially make it worse.

What I don’t understand is, why is the top where the water was pooling is perfectly fine and flat with just staining, but the edge seem to have water penetrating through?

Are the edges usually not sealed?

 

[Beave]

I just looked at the pics on page 1 of this thread, and I don't see a port on the back. And Polk's website says it's a sealed design.

As for the water, it probably couldn't/didn't penetrate the vinyl wrap except where there might have been a seam of the wrap along an edge of the speaker. But I'm just guessing here, as I haven't seen one in person to know where the vinyl wrap seam is.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Cosmetic. Penetrated at seam. Not enough water to cause structural damage.

 

[AudioScience Enthusiast]

For those of you who are not completely satisfied by R350, and if the Legend L400 is too expensive, based on this thread I have compiled all the mentioned alternatives that could be a good match with the rest of the Reserve series. Is there anything else that I have missed?

1. Getting another R350 and mounting them vertically as Center L and Center R
2. KEF Q150
3. Silver 5L
4. JBL 308p
5. Ascend Horizon
6. SVS
7. Monoprice
8. Infinity RC263
9. ...

I am still looking for an affordable 3-way center that is R350 size to fit between my UST projector and ALR screen, which has not been easy. The size of the R350 is perfect but yea the horizontal dispersion issue is a real big problem for dialog. My audience keeps saying they can't hear what people are saying during big huge Atmos and Dolby shows.

No.. I am not referring to Christopher Nolan movies that are notorious for dim dialog issue

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

For those of you who are not completely satisfied by R350, and if the Legend L400 is too expensive, based on this thread I have compiled all the mentioned alternatives that could be a good match with the rest of the Reserve series. Is there anything else that I have missed?

1. Getting another R350 and mounting them vertically as Center L and Center R
2. KEF Q150
3. Silver 5L
4. JBL 308p
5. Ascend Horizon

I am still looking for an affordable 3-way center that is R350 size to fit between my UST projector and ALR screen, which has not been easy. The size of the R350 is perfect but yea the horizontal dispersion issue is a real big problem for dialog. My audience keeps saying they can't hear what people are saying during big huge Atmos and Dolby shows.

No.. I am not referring to Christopher Nolan movies that are notorious for dim dialog issue

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Need to figure out how to fit 3 way. Switched to inexpensive (on sale) Infinity RC 263. Difference is stark. Dialogue is never an issue. It is big.

 

[AudioScience Enthusiast]

Need to figure out how to fit 3 way. Switched to inexpensive (on sale) Infinity RC 263. Difference is stark. Dialogue is never an issue. It is big.

Yea, fitting a 3-way between UST Projector and ALR screen is challenging.

The Polk Reserve R350 height of 5.5" is perfect as it will not cast block the lower part of the screen.

I haven't researched all the 3-way alternatives yet, but from first glance, it seems the SVS Ultra Center's height of 8.2" may be doable.

Has anyone replaced your R350 with SVS Ultra Center yet and how is your experience with it?

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Yea, fitting a 3-way between UST Projector and ALR screen is challenging.

The Polk Reserve R350 height of 5.5" is perfect as it will not cast block the lower part of the screen.

I haven't researched all the 3-way alternatives yet, but from first glance, it seems the SVS Ultra Center's height of 8.2" may be doable.

Has anyone replaced your R350 with SVS Ultra Center yet and how is your experience with it?

infinity RC 263 is 9.25 high. If you could raise screen, squeeze in. Amir reviewed way back. Often out of stock. On sale sporadically.

 

[AudioScience Enthusiast]

Just curious, would KEF R2C be a significant upgrade to the R350?

The KEF seems to not the dispersion issue of the MTM design of the Polk. My other contender is SVS Ultra Center. Has anyone migrated to any of these two from R350 and happy with your move?

 

[AudioScience Enthusiast]

Due to Directivity issue of the R350, I have considered the energetic 3-way SVS Ultra Center as an "upgrade".

But then if I was going to go for the SVS Ultra Center, why not spend a few more dollars to get the KEF R2C, which has a coaxial design that will produce minimal off-axis drop-off.

And then I thought, if I was going to for the R2C, why not just jump to the R2 Meta which is a newer design and has addressed all the issues of the R2C.

But then if I am getting the R2 Meta, then why not just skip another step to go to the R6 Meta which is bigger and stronger than R2 Meta.

Thank goodness the KEF Reference is too big a step to jump to, hence R6 Meta has been ordered.

Hopefully this thinking process helps other owners of R350 who is considering an alternative.

I will report back how much of an "upgrade" the R6 Meta is to the R350.

I might run a few scans before listing R350 for sale, does anyone want to see before and after test results?

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Due to Directivity issue of the R350, I have considered the energetic 3-way SVS Ultra Center as an "upgrade".

But then if I was going to go for the SVS Ultra Center, why not spend a few more dollars to get the KEF R2C, which has a coaxial design that will produce minimal off-axis drop-off.

And then I thought, if I was going to for the R2C, why not just jump to the R2 Meta which is a newer design and has addressed all the issues of the R2C.

But then if I am getting the R2 Meta, then why not just skip another step to go to the R6 Meta which is bigger and stronger than R2 Meta.

Thank goodness the KEF Reference is too big a step to jump to, hence R6 Meta has been ordered.

Hopefully this thinking process helps other owners of R350 who is considering an alternative.

I will report back how much of an "upgrade" the R6 Meta is to the R350.

I might run a few scans before listing R350 for sale, does anyone want to see before and after test results?

You will be fine.

 

[sstecker]

so if you're using an acoustically transparent screen, would rotating the 350 vertically transform this into a great center channel?

 

[Beershaun]

so if you're using an acoustically transparent screen, would rotating the 350 vertically transform this into a great center channel?

If you have an acoustically transparent screen I'd recommend getting a center that is exactly the same as your left and right speakers.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

If you have an acoustically transparent screen I'd recommend getting a center that is exactly the same as your left and right speakers.

I agree. Only situation that's feasible.