New Polk entry level series

[adam2434]

Just noticed that Polk has a new entry level series - R300 tower, R150 bookshelf, and a center.

Specs, drivers, and cabinets look similar to the original R series. However, the tweeter is under the woofer.

Don't know if these are replacing or coexisting with the M series. It seems like Polk updates the entry level series much more frequently than the others.

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/products/r300/

[RuSsMaN]

Certainly looks good.

[tommyboy]

hmmm... I'm confused why they came out with these speaks. seems like the same speakers as the r30 and m20... Looks like no one liked the m series i guess... I liked the R series design much more than the m series

[Vr3MxStyler2k3]

The M series was the R series... with new aesthetics...

I dont like the looks of this speaker, the tweeter looks odd...

[faster100]

clawing to find a speaker that sells well.. look all the same with some subtle changes..

[aaharvel]

Things were so much simpler when Polk had just 3 floor models: R, Rti, Lsi.

Now ya' got R, M, RM, Monitor, RTi, Lsi...

wtf?

[TroyD]

Looks cool to me...

BDT

[reeltrouble1]

yep........nice reasonably priced floorstander for the starter crowd. silk dome 3/4" seems right for entry Polk.

RT1

[Drumingman]

Ok, Looks like the R30, I bet the Chinese drilled the holes Bass Ackwards. Do that to 2 or 3 hundred boxes and you've got a Brand new model.

[faster100]

I don't think its the "looks" that people are talking about as much as polk changeing models every 6 months.. ie: R, rm, M and such as mentioned above. all the same type speaker with a hint of change

[ohskigod]

back to the 6 1/2" driver. with the tweet on the bottom and woof on the top, I wouldnt say these are just redos of the R line, it looks like a completly different direction to me. might be that the Monitor line just wasnt getting the love Polk wanted.

a new thing every 6 months just might be what gets the job done in the entry level lines, whereas the "if it aint broke, dont fix it" school of thought rules the day in the higher end lines.

It could very well just be marketing to a different marketing segment, who knows. remember, the entry level lines arent marketed to the majority of us that are just too hardcore into this hobby :)

[ohskigod]

p.s., I really like the more traditional look of these over the monitor line

[Drumingman]

back to the 6 1/2" driver. with the tweet on the bottom and woof on the top, I wouldnt say these are just redos of the R line, it looks like a completly different direction to me. might be that the Monitor line just wasnt getting the love Polk wanted.

:)

Thats because the monitor line was cheaper. the cabinets are too thin, and it's a midrange speaker, not the fuller range of the R series.

[OpticalSerenity]

Its good to see them trying to cater to all markets better. More money for Polk = better speakers for us.

[aaharvel]

Thats because the monitor line was cheaper. the cabinets are too thin, and it's a midrange speaker, not the fuller range of the R series.

I was always under the impression that the Monitors were superior speakers to the R series.

Time to shed some light on the whole "GOOD, BETTER, BEST" monikor..

Fair: M Series
Somewhat Fair: R Series
Very Fair: "New" R Series
Somewhat Decent: RM Series
Very Decent: Monitor Series
Good: Rti Series
Excellent: Lsi

I'm seriesed out.
Seriously. :rolleyes: :D

[MacLeod]

I like the looks of these!

I really like that theyve gone with 6.5's!

I am a big fan of a 6.5" mid and if I have always thought the Monitor series would benefit with 6.5's.

I like that Polk is trying to offer quality good for those of us that want good home audio but dont have the scratch for $1000 speakers.

[aaharvel]

I like the looks of these!

I really like that theyve gone with 6.5's!

I am a big fan of a 6.5" mid and if I have always thought the Monitor series would benefit with 6.5's.

I like that Polk is trying to offer quality good for those of us that want good home audio but dont have the scratch for $1000 speakers.

Mac, the 6.5" mid/woof is nothing new. Neither is the 3/4" tweeter. The original Rseries had it, the Silver Rseries (known as "M") had it, and now the new ones have it. Why do I get the feeling that Polk is suffering from an identity crisis? They seem to have no idea how (or who) to sell their entry-level speakers to. If so, then why the frantic total re-design of cosmetics every so often? They're the same speakers for crying out loud, they just look different. Big deal. GM does this with their cars, and it doesn't work.

Wouldn't their resources be better utilized improving on other things? Like, say for example... proprietary technology that's actually part of the building process? How about improving or updating the speakers that are actually famous for Polk quality? Rti, Lsi, anyone? Geesh. According to Stereophile, the RTi line is Polk's biggest seller. Since the new Rti's came out in late 2004, the R series has now officially been re-done three times, and they're two different versions of the Monitor speakers, and that design is only about 1 year old. And in both cases, the actual technology of the drivers or anything else is unchanged from it's previous iteration.

But that's just one consumer's opinion. I'm sure Matt and the crew knows how to decide what's best for their company.

[Mike682]

I like how the grill only covers the top third of the speaker, instead of the entire front.

[knownalien]

vaguely reminds me of NHT.

[tommyboy]

Thats because the monitor line was cheaper. the cabinets are too thin, and it's a midrange speaker, not the fuller range of the R series.

I'm not sure which speakers you compared. But when I did a side by side comparison between the m20s(same as r30) and the monitor 50s. the 50s won hands down as the fuller, cleaner sounding speaker. And I have heard the r30s and even though I heard them in two different areas, I still have the monitor 50s the winner. Now if you compare the r50s to the m50s, that might be a different story(never heard the r50s but they should sound better, they are more expensive, at least retail).

[adam2434]

This new series has neodymium magnets in the tweeters; this may be a new design given that the older series do not mention that.

The tweeter seems a little low in the new series towers though.

Nonetheless, if the sonics are true to the original R series, it will remain a truly decent sounding entry level line - really all the speaker a non-audiophile will ever need. I've recommended them to several non-audiophile friends and family, and they are happy with them - especially at the prices you could get for the R series at outpost.com.

I've read several derogatory comments about the old R series - muddy, congested, lacking highs etc. Whatever, I still think they sound good for the money and can enjoy casually listening to them without picking them apart. I can't say that for other entry level speakers I've heard.

[Leeep]

Looks like my M20's with the drivers flipped and the port on the back.
Otherwise, specs seem the same.
Are these dual-ampable?

[dipiazza]

Im still trying to get a center channel that matches the esthetics of the R Cherry series. I use the R50s and R30s in my HT system and R20 as the center. The problem is the "new" centers to go with teh R series, CS1 and CS2 have that freakin silver front that will clearly not match.

Maybe polk will release these new ones in Cherry, hopefully the center. I feel like it would be a good match to the R serise.

[adam2434]

Im still trying to get a center channel that matches the esthetics of the R Cherry series. I use the R50s and R30s in my HT system and R20 as the center. The problem is the "new" centers to go with teh R series, CS1 and CS2 have that freakin silver front that will clearly not match.

Maybe polk will release these new ones in Cherry, hopefully the center. I feel like it would be a good match to the R serise.

I believe the CSi25 is the matching center for the R series, and I think it only comes in black. I think an all black center looks fine above or below a TV and blends nicely, even if the rest of the speakers have a cherry finish, especially in the case where the center is partially hidden by a shelf anyway.

[Drumingman]

I'm not sure which speakers you compared. But when I did a side by side comparison between the m20s(same as r30) and the monitor 50s. the 50s won hands down as the fuller, cleaner sounding speaker. And I have heard the r30s and even though I heard them in two different areas, I still have the monitor 50s the winner. Now if you compare the r50s to the m50s, that might be a different story(never heard the r50s but they should sound better, they are more expensive, at least retail).


I guess they did, 2- 5&1/4" drivers are going to sound deeper and have better bass extension than most single 6&1/2 drivers. Although I'm sure the new monitor series is a fine speaker in it's own right, I like the built quality of my R50 better. Yes, the monitor is a little flashier looking but The cabinet and the grill don't seem to be the quality of the R50. A case in point, the M50 is 14lbs lighter than a R50. I think this is due to Thinner cabinets. I also think that the recessed drivers in the cabinets would have an adverse affect on dispersion patterns, probally making them a lot more narrow than on the R series. Also for those of you who were wondering about wood or vinyl. R series came in vinyl except the R50 which is veneer.

While the R50 is an entry level speaker, with proper placement and good electronics, and I do use EQ's, the R50 can reproduce a very fine musical sound, sounding more like music than speakers.

[dipiazza]

I believe the CSi25 is the matching center for the R series, and I think it only comes in black. I think an all black center looks fine above or below a TV and blends nicely, even if the rest of the speakers have a cherry finish, especially in the case where the center is partially hidden by a shelf anyway.


You make some good observations, but i still dont think i could handle having all cherry, including the front faces of the spkr and then a black center. Matching is kinda key. :cool:

[Vr3MxStyler2k3]

I don't think its the "looks" that people are talking about as much as polk changeing models every 6 months.. ie: R, rm, M and such as mentioned above. all the same type speaker with a hint of change

While I hate seeing this constantly...

I dont understand this quote...

Its bad for Polk to change their low fi models everything 6 months - a year..

But its OK for Polk to change their mid fi models FIVE times with lateral shift and cosmetic upgrades over the past...............8 years or more?

Hmmmm

[knownalien]

You make some good observations, but i still dont think i could handle having all cherry, including the front faces of the spkr and then a black center. Matching is kinda key. :cool:

that's what all us LSi folk had to live with. The cherry look is very pretty, but they never found a way to make the center speaker (LSiC) have a hint of it. So it is just black but my surrounds and fronts have cherry.

[Demiurge]

Eh, I'm sure they're good speakers, but they have terrible aesthetics. It's like a bookshelf with a big long hunk of black wood underneath.

[faster100]

Nah trey,
I feel the same way about the 5 -6 different model changes they have made to the Rti's and the like.. Lsi's have changed once and not really... the rest is like every other month, 6 month or so :D

[tommyboy]

Nah trey,
I feel the same way about the 5 -6 different model changes they have made to the Rti's and the like.. Lsi's have changed once and not really... the rest is like every other month, 6 month or so :D

Is there any polk representitives on the forum that could answer why?

[aaharvel]

While I hate seeing this constantly... I dont understand this quote...
Its bad for Polk to change their low fi models everything 6 months - a year..
But its OK for Polk to change their mid fi models FIVE times with lateral shift and cosmetic upgrades over the past...............8 years or more?

Hmmmm

The current rti line has been out for about 2years now, and no re-design (cosmetic or performance) seems to be in the future. The Lsi line is almost 4years old with no re-design in the near future. But when it DOES happen, at least the rti/lsi lines change or at least improves on it's specs, build-quality, sound characteristics, internal bracing, etc.. thus differenating it performance-wise from it's earlier iterations. Meaning, the lines evolve. Just as much (if not more so) in perfomance and build quality than simply in cosmetics. Take a look at the 6month rope-a-dope of the Rseries, Mseries, and new Rseries (all of which are being sold at once) and tell me if you really think that's true.

[adam2434]

I'm not saying this is intentional on Polk's part, but I do see a positive outcome from Polk's changing the entry level series more frequently. When a new series comes out, the older series can be had for a tremendous discount (think the Outpost deals on the older R series). This puts Polk speakers in a lot of homes.

Folks snatch them up at these prices and get hooked on Polk. Then, when the upgraded bug hits, they often look at the more costly Polk lines. Also, once a loyal Polk fan, folks will recommend Polk to friends and family. This "spreading the word" phenomenon is strengthened when friends/family hear the entry level series and think "you got sound this good for so little money". These are typically average, non-audiophile consumers who think that Bose is high end.

Bottom line is that cheap, decent sounding speakers create and spread brand loyalty.

[dipiazza]

I'm not saying this is intentional on Polk's part, but a do see a positive outcome from Polk's changing the entry level series more frequently. When a new series comes out, the older series can be had for a tremendous discount (think the Outpost deals on the older R series). This puts Polk speakers in a lot of homes.



Good point.

[zombie boy 2000]

Folks snatch them up at these prices and get hooked on Polk. Then, when the upgraded bug hits, they often look at the more costly Polk lines. Also, once a loyal Polk fan, folks will recommend Polk to friends and family. This "spreading the word" phenomenon is strengthened when friends/family hear the entry level series and think "you got sound this good for so little money". These are typically average, non-audiophile consumers who think that Bose is high end.

Bottom line is that cheap, decent sounding speakers create and spread brand loyalty.

Slap a gold star on him and make him a grilled cheese:D

[RuSsMaN]

The CSi20 is technically 'the' match for the 2nd edition R series. The first run of R series center was the CS101 (R1 / R2).

Polk has 'spread out' among distributors now, and this line may be catering to a vendor OTHER than Circuit City (think back to the Eosone / Best Buy days). Entry models never get long in the tooth - they have to stay fresh, and new - on the other hand, the high end lines NEED to last while - you can't sell many $2000 speakers if they are going to updated / changed every 6 - 12 months.

B&W for example, the higher end lines, CM / 700 / 800 - they design the speakers to be competitive in the market for 6 to 8 years, without changing a thing. When they do a redesign, they DO A REDESIGN - top to bottom.

Cheers,
Russ

[adam2434]

Huh, I always thought the CSi25 was the match for R15/30/50 based on the photo and description from Outpost.com below. The grill in the picture has the same angled aesthetics as the R15/30/50. Polk's photo looks like a totally different speaker, more like the CSM (matching center for the M series).
http://shop3.outpost.com/{IBXjXMF7x51cwCRNliSEPg**.node2}/product/4463996;jsessionid=IBXjXMF7x51cwCRNliSEPg**.node2? site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

Anyway, what does the CSi25 match?

[Toxis]

I hope this will eventually replace the monitor series. The current monitor lineup is the worst sounding polk line in the almost 8 years I've been selling them.

[alibabwish]

I'm not saying this is intentional on Polk's part, but I do see a positive outcome from Polk's changing the entry level series more frequently. When a new series comes out, the older series can be had for a tremendous discount (think the Outpost deals on the older R series). This puts Polk speakers in a lot of homes.

Folks snatch them up at these prices and get hooked on Polk. Then, when the upgraded bug hits, they often look at the more costly Polk lines. Also, once a loyal Polk fan, folks will recommend Polk to friends and family. This "spreading the word" phenomenon is strengthened when friends/family hear the entry level series and think "you got sound this good for so little money". These are typically average, non-audiophile consumers who think that Bose is high end.

Bottom line is that cheap, decent sounding speakers create and spread brand loyalty.

i couldnt agree more, i just bought my first pair of polk, monitor 40's for cc, which i guess is considered an entry level type speaker, i mean i didnt exactly buy it for the same reason adam said, but i thought bose was good until i compared the bose 301s to these m40s i have now and they sounded horrible, but ill admitt im hooked on polk and home audio now but have severe budgett restarints considering im in college. adams answer could not be more logical though and i agree with it 100%

[brijenjas]

Folks snatch them up at these prices and get hooked on Polk. Then, when the upgraded bug hits, they often look at the more costly Polk lines. Also, once a loyal Polk fan, folks will recommend Polk to friends and family. This "spreading the word" phenomenon is strengthened when friends/family hear the entry level series and think "you got sound this good for so little money". These are typically average, non-audiophile consumers who think that Bose is high end.

Bottom line is that cheap, decent sounding speakers create and spread brand loyalty.

I'll admit it.

This is exactly how I was "hooked";) and I'm glad I was.

Bougth r50's for a great price, liked the sound, visited here quite often and was convinced to upgrade within a year.

I am/was? your typical non-audiophile customer(although I never thought bose was high end).:(

[Vr3MxStyler2k3]

The current rti line has been out for about 2years now, and no re-design (cosmetic or performance) seems to be in the future. The Lsi line is almost 4years old with no re-design in the near future. But when it DOES happen, at least the rti/lsi lines change or at least improves on it's specs, build-quality, sound characteristics, internal bracing, etc.. thus differenating it performance-wise from it's earlier iterations. Meaning, the lines evolve. Just as much (if not more so) in perfomance and build quality than simply in cosmetics. Take a look at the 6month rope-a-dope of the Rseries, Mseries, and new Rseries (all of which are being sold at once) and tell me if you really think that's true.

You will beat yourself to death trying to argue with me about the RT series and what I think about it.

I think its a great series. However, the sound differences between the first and current are not better changes. Infact, they are lateral shifts, its just like you buying a comparable product to Polk and it just sounds and looks and little different. There are alot of members here that will tell you the first RT line is the best of the RT series thats been out.

I hope the next RT series that comes out isnt called the RT series. It is time to move on, IMO. We dont need 5 more versions of this line up....

Where does the madness end? lol