Your opinions on the Polk R700

[andy2]

Hi, new to the forum here. I am looking to purchase a pair of affordable speakers.
I live in SoCal and I did contact Polk to find a dealer that have them for audition, but Polk could not find any.
So I have to rely solely on on-line reviews and feedbacks from users who had listened to them.

The R700 seems to get a lot of positive reviews, but one thing that I notice that some users
have said there is some emphasis on the sibilance, which I am somewhat sensitive to.

For those who have listened to them, what are your opinions? Does it have any emphasis on the sibilance area?

 

[Hemi-Demon]

Due to the limitations of the tweeter design just make sure that your listening position is vertically aligned with the height of the tweeter. These speakers are not for a group of listeners in different seated positions or for those persons stand up and move around the room during a listening session.

 

[1066]

Erin has measured the R700.

 

[andy2]

Erin has measured the R700.

I did see his review. He also said there is some emphasis around 4K -5KHz region from the tweeter and that is the cause of most sibilance issue.
I just want to hear back from R700 owners to see if they hear the same thing. Erin tends to be critical. He may have over react a little bit.

 

[Beave]

As you can see from the on-axis frequency response, there's actually a small broad dip around the 4-6 kHz region.

But as you can see from the off-axis plots (both horizontally and vertically), these speakers put out a lot of off-axis energy in the this same 4-8kHz range.

So how much energy you get in this region at the listening position will depend on how reflective your room is in this range. Hard floors or fully carpeted? Sidewalls nearby the speakers or far away? Sidewalls bare and reflective or full of shelves and furniture to absorb or scatter reflections? Ceiling low and hard surface or higher?

It's really, really hard to predict how you will find these to sound in your room, but the measurements do show some issues to consider.

 

[andy2]

Hi Beave,
Thanks for your replies. That is why I would like to hear back from actual R700 owners whether they experience the same thing as what Erin said.

 

[andy2]

But as you can see from the off-axis plots (both horizontally and vertically), these speakers put out a lot of off-axis energy in the this same 4-8kHz range.

But would this be common to most speakers when the mid driver cross over to the tweeter around 2.8KHz region where the mid start to beam?

 

[tw 2022]

Hi Beave,
Thanks for your replies. That is why I would like to hear back from actual R700 owners whether they experience the same thing as what Erin said.

Not an actual owner here, but according to the global plots : all Polk r series speakers will " beam " from the tweeter at higher frequency, causing empty spots( holes) in the sound at certain frequencies depending on how close to on axis you sit... How Audible this is to the individual is variable depending on each persons ears.. It is likely audible at some level to most....overall subjective reviews were overwhelmingly positive early on... I hope this helps ...

 

[tw 2022]

But as you can see from the off-axis plots (both horizontally and vertically), these speakers put out a lot of off-axis energy in the this same 4-8kHz range.

Probably trying to compensate for the tweeter beaming?.....

 

[Beave]

Hi Beave,
Thanks for your replies. That is why I would like to hear back from actual R700 owners whether they experience the same thing as what Erin said.

But the point I'm trying to make is that the experience of other owners won't necessarily be YOUR experience. They won't have the same room, and they won't have the same speaker placement, and they may not listen to the same recordings.

The measurements tell you what the potential issues will be - and they show that there is the potential for brightness/hotness in the low to mid treble due to a broadening/widening of the response in that region. How big an issue that will be will depend on your room acoustics. If you have large and/or dead room, it won't matter too much. If you have a smaller and/or reflective room (either floor, ceiling, or sidewalls), then this could cause them to be bright/sibilant in that region.

 

[Beave]

Probably trying to compensate for the tweeter beaming?.....

The tweeter beams considerably in the region *above* what I'm talking about (ie, it beams above 8kHz). Below 8kHz, its output is quite broad, horizontally and vertically. Then around 8kHz it starts to narrow quite aggressively. This will make them pretty dependent on toe in, reflectivity of the room, one's hearing acuity at really high frequency, etc.

 

[tw 2022]

The tweeter beams considerably in the region *above* what I'm talking about (ie, it beams above 8kHz). Below 8kHz, its output is quite broad, horizontally and vertically. Then around 8kHz it starts to narrow quite aggressively. This will make them pretty dependent on toe in, reflectivity of the room, one's hearing acuity at really high frequency, etc.

Yes, I was thinking that the rising treble ( granted it isn't A big rise ) combined with the beaming , then add the off axis peak at 5k Hz might make it possible in most rooms to find a "happy spot" position somewhere in the toe in that would give it a really nice pir ... Just my guess as to what they may have been shooting for, but we'd have to ask the designer.....

 

[andy2]

Bumped.

 

[MarkS]

But the point I'm trying to make is that the experience of other owners won't necessarily be YOUR experience. They won't have the same room, and they won't have the same speaker placement, and they may not listen to the same recordings.

This.

@andy2, the only way to find out if they work for you is to try them yourself. Crutchfield sells tham and has a good return policy.

If I had $2K to spend on speakers, I'd get what I have now: Ascilab C6Bs and a sub.

Some form of room correction is also essential for getting the best from any speakers.

 

[andy2]

Bump.

 

[Power Pop 23]

This.

@andy2, the only way to find out if they work for you is to try them yourself. Crutchfield sells tham and has a good return policy.

If I had $2K to spend on speakers, I'd get what I have now: Ascilab C6Bs and a sub.

Some form of room correction is also essential for getting the best from any speakers.

Ditto. Room correction may mitigate deviations from perfection and help you achieve the sound you prefer

Currently, Crutchfield charges $75 for an authorized UPS return shipping label for a pair of tower loudspeakers.

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-iwOpCiiaVBS/support/returns.aspx

 

[andy2]

I would prefer not to have to return the speakers. It's just too much works to pack.

 

[Northern Audio Enthusiust]

Hi, new to the forum here. I am looking to purchase a pair of affordable speakers.
I live in SoCal and I did contact Polk to find a dealer that have them for audition, but Polk could not find any.
So I have to rely solely on on-line reviews and feedbacks from users who had listened to them.

The R700 seems to get a lot of positive reviews, but one thing that I notice that some users
have said there is some emphasis on the sibilance, which I am somewhat sensitive to.

For those who have listened to them, what are your opinions? Does it have any emphasis on the sibilance area?

Hello Andy i have owned a pair of R700's for about 4 years now and i love them in my setup although as others have mentioned what sounds great in one room will sound different in another room however in my experience that is true of any speaker. Now as for my room i have an open concept room so neither speaker is close to a wall and my ceiling is sloped going from 7 feet to 12 feet high carpeted floor and some absorbtion on side walls and behind listening position my speakers are 3 feet from the front wall measured from the front baffle (the wall behind the speakers) the speakers are 7.5 feet apart towed in towards my shoulders and i seat about 9.5 feet from the speakers. In this configuration i great a really great well balanced sound and have not experienced and sharp/bright or fatiguing treble and no sibilance unless it is in the recording mostly listen to classic rock and country roch although i do occationally listen to jazz also.

i Hope this helps have a great experience no matter what type of system you end up with!