Polk Reserve R350 Review (Center Speaker)

[MZKM]

Note: Rating not designed for center channels with multiple listeners.

Preference Rating
SCORE: 3.9
SCORE w/ sub: 6.4

Sensitivity: 87dB (300Hz-3kHz ; spec: 87dB)
Frequency response: +/- 5.5dB 50Hz-20kHz ; +/- 2.6dB 80Hz-20kHz

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[MZKM]

Here is the designer’s response to why there is no 3-way center for the Reserve line:

 

[sarumbear]

Here is the designer’s response to why there is no 3-way center for the Reserve line:

I loved the engineer’s reply: I wasn’t allowed to!

 

[sweetchaos]

Bring on more 3-way center speaker reviews!

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

As it is, I can't recommend the Polk Reserve R350. A shame as I personally need a thin center speaker for our living room.

What is your normal viewing distance? Personally I always thought a horizontal center was a bad idea. When I had more traditional home theater systems prior to using a Sonos Arc system. I always just use an additional satellite in the middle. I never bothered with the dedicated center channel that was MTM horizontal in configuration.

 

[MZKM]

I loved the engineer’s reply: I wasn’t allowed to!

Here is his response asking if they should be worried about the speakers being 4-ohm nominal:

Gene even recently made a video again telling people to not worry too much and to not enable the 4-ohm setting on their AVR, it isn’t a mode to sound better, it is simply an Eco mode that limits wattage.

 

[Rja4000]

A proper center speaker needs to be 3-way.

Why 3 ways ?
Wouldn't the ideal solution be coaxial 2 ways ?
Why would you need bass from a center speaker ?

 

[sarumbear]

Why 3 ways ?
Wouldn't the ideal solution be coaxial 2 ways ?
Why would you need bass from a center speaker ?

Not every manufacturer has coax drivers.

Centre speaker is the most important speaker in a home theatre. It needs to have as much wide FR as possible.

 

[001]

Marketing

Ahem, like so?

I'm certain that never happens in real life.

 

[beefkabob]

I simply don't understand how a speaker company can make such basic mistakes in engineering like this.

People buy it and don't know any better.

 

[gvl]

Unless you are single and listen in one spot, the R350 simply is not good for this use.

They should advertise it as a perfect man cave speaker.

 

[PeteL]

That’s a relief. At least engineering tried their best to save a speaker designed by marketing.

It’s also the engineer’s job to work with industrial design compromises. It’s Utopic that engineers in mass market segment have full freedom to do whatever design they want. If you want that for your carreer you create your own company, you don’t go work for Polk. The first goal of any product is to be able to sell it. It don’t mean « designed by marketing » But it’s healty that they’d have an input. A company that don’t make moneyy is a company that dies. Developping a product is a team work. Great Engineering with poor design is still a poor product, you need it all. I’m not saying this speaker got it Just saying that Industrial design and marketability is as important as engineering.

 

[Dj7675]

Hate to be the guy on the end of the couch saying... “what did he say”...

 

[ROOSKIE]

Here are the old LSIM704c and LSIM706c along with the current L400.
I'd guess you could use the L400 with the reserve line. Very similar designs.
More $$$
$1800 for the L400
The older LSIM line might work as well. Both can still be found for reasonable costs ($250-500)

 

[Helicopter]

Thanks Amir.

It is refreshing to see the Polk team in the video say this was made to fit in the line at a price point, and admit you need to go up to the L400 to get something better.

Unfortunately, they really missed the mark since the center is the most important channel in a surround setup.

It is funny there isn't even a configuration that is rising to the top in this category. I am looking forward to more center channels in the market, and in the reviews.

 

[pseudoid]

Thank you for the thorough review @amirm.
If I recall, I had warned you that this speaker just did not work (as anticipated) in the room with two Vandie2s.
I had strict height limitations and ended up with just 1/4" clearance, but also had to fulfill the W.A.F. and it had to fit the room (in looks).
I mean what can really go wrong with a Polk speaker, and how bad can it possibly sound >> right?
Beings that this was supposed to be a "center" speaker, to help with [ummmmm.... let's see...] center frequencies and to see what this whole Dolby Atmos had to offer for extracting center information versus my older pos BostonAcousticsVRC (= near as bad but the Polk R350 is way more confusing to the ears).
I tried hours of different settings but my ears heard some real weird sh*t stuff that I could not figure out wtf where they were coming from.
Nice looking doorstop though!
As a consolation prize, I expect the head of the PinkPanther with the speaker, please.

 

[tktran303]

When a lay lay person (non-audio enthusiast) asks me "What speaker should I buy", the first question I ask is...

"Where are you putting it and how big do you want it to be?"

That's the real world...

 

[sam_adams]

Marketing

Yeah, I get the whole 'marketing' schtick—but—these are being marketed as LCR speakers. In a vertical orientation where the measured vertical dispersion now becomes the horizontal dispersion, you get a fairly wide soundstage. However, you are now left with terrible vertical dispersion. With the narrow dispersion of the tweeter, if the tweeter isn't pointed directly at your head, you get the effect that @amirm mentions. This would drive most listeners insane having to keep their head locked in one position to get good dialog intelligibility.

All-in-all, this is one design that lacks whichever way you orient them.

 

[napilopez]

I might be biased by loving the R200 but measurement wise it's definitely solid to me. It's a consequence of the 2 way design, and most centers like this will have similar directivity.

In my experience, people decide on form factor and budget, before looking for the best option available. You just aren't going to find many 3-way center speakers that are 5.5 inches tall in this price range. Are there any?

Presumably, use with L/Rs would lessen the effect of the narrow horizontal directivity too. No one is going to use one of these without them. Would be interesting to know how much it is lessened though.

 

[napilopez]

When a lay lay person (non-audio enthusiast) asks me "What speaker should I buy", the first question I ask is...

"Where are you putting it and how big do you want it to be?"

That's the real world...

Yep, that and what's your budget.