Monitor 30

by Joe Shupienis, W3BC, June 12, 2009

Strengths:

89dB Efficiency, Balanced highs and lows, smooth crossover with few phase artifacts. PERFECT for my homebrew single-ended triode amp. That combination really presents a 3-D soundstage you want to reach out and touch.

Weaknesses:

Not the speakers' fault, but some reviewers unrealistically expect to blow the roof off the house with bass. These speakers are just too small to do that... THINK, people!

Review:

I bought these to use while testing my triode tube amplifier designs. They are a perfect match for that application. Even at only 2 watts, they have a comfortable, satisfying level of bass, which is well-balanced with the clean (not crunchy) high end. But where they rise and shine in combination with the triode tube amp is the mids. Playing a track with acoustic instruments, you are startled into looking up into the sound-stage to see what sounds like the instrument right in your listening room. And the voices! You open your eyes expecting to see the singer standing right in front of you! These speakers give the famous precision sound placement that brought Polk Audio into the forefront in the 1970s. Combined with my tube amp, they make every track new -- I can hear fine detail that I never heard before. These speakers, when driven by a clean amplifier just pull the music up out of the mud. They deliver this sound to your ears from a truly holographic sound-stage, allowing you to perceive the width, depth and height the recording engineers worked so hard to put into the recording.

by Benny, May 18, 2005

Strengths:

Sound that is natural, and pleasing. Good frequency response in the high's, natural honest mids, and the low end is faithful to a good 5 1/4 driver.

Weaknesses:

Given price, cabinent and woofer size: you would be a fool to pick an honest weakness for this product. The Monitor 30 is not flawless but it is an amazing speaker in it's class, worthy of my praise.

Review:

I could not dream of a better speaker for this price range AND size of bookshelf. I will compare them to the RT35 polk bookshelf which I also own: the imaging, soundstage, and dynamics are outstanding! I prefer the tweeter in this model compared to the RT35 (a more expensive speaker). The highs are more pronounced and natural, NOT exaggerated. The midrange is still top-notch; a quality polk is renowned for. The bass is satisfying and natural for a speaker of this size, no false attempt is made to fool the listener, ie: crossovers intended to boost mid bass in effort to woo the listener. The sound is 100% natural and defined. This speaker does not pretend, it preforms truthfully and honestly. The monitor 30 is an inexpensive speaker that lives up to it's promise: clear sound, no tricks or hype.

by Dave Ward, May 28, 2005

Strengths:

Great looks and great sound to match. Excellent low end for a small speaker.

Weaknesses:

I am still looking for any weakness.

Review:

I am having a set of high end Bose speakers repaired and until they return I needed a "cheap" set of speakers to run in the meantime. I purchased these speakers without listening to them at the store. When I hooked them up at home I was floored by the quality of the sound from these "little" bookcase speakers. Little in size not in sound.

by Richard Johnson, May 31, 2010

Strengths:

Outstanding value; bass is powerful without sounding too bloated or undefined; good near-field performance.

Weaknesses:

Midrange could use some more energy; low level detail is merely okay (the speakers are more "exciting" than "refined")

Review:

I bought a set of Monitor 30's deeply discounted recently and have to say that I'm pretty impressed with them. The bass is much more powerful than my outgoing speakers (a sealed enclosure design), while striking a good balance between output and attack. It is perhaps a bit too strong in the lower midbass range, however paired with a sub it never sounds particularly muddy. The extension is also good enough that you can run them without a sub in a more casual listening environment. While the speakers lack a bit of zest in the midrange that I usually like, the tonal balance is such that they're rewarding to listen to even without the aid of equalization (which is high praise for a "value" speaker). The highs were a bit hard to pin down for me until I realized the grills weren't completely acoustically transparent. Taking the grills off, in my opinion, smoothed the response out and made them sound more consistent and less artificially "sweet." There's a good balance of detail and smoothness without being too fatiguing. One last note on the sound I need to add is, these work well in a near-field environment, so they make great desk speakers. Build-quality wise, the cabinet quality is good - above average for the price range. Not furniture grade by any stretch, but nothing bad particularly sticks out. The corners line up perfectly and are smooth, and the seams are the same width the entire way around. The woofer uses a rubber surround which should last a long time. Overall, a speaker that's easy to live with and whose price makes them a spectacular value. If you find some on sale, I'd buy some just as an excuse to add music to a room that doesn't have any right now.

by BILL TWEED, April 1, 2010

Strengths:

Outstanding fit and finish, clarity and value for the money. GREAT BANG FOR THE BUCK!

Weaknesses:

Modest bass extension - even so, they don't sound bass-shy on most material.

Review:

I've owned Polk speakers for 26 years & I'm still in awe of what Polk has accomplished here: a tiny mini-monitor that fills my living room with the kind of clarity that used to cost hundreds more, with no sign of distortion or dynamic compression even when played loud. There is just enough midbass to avoid sounding thin or bass-shy on most material without needing a monster amp. Top it off with a level of finish nobody else can touch anywhere near this price and you've got a winner! The Monitor 30 (and its replacement, the TSi-100) are absolute steals! Be prepared to spend hundreds more to find anything better!

by Jimm4, August 15, 2004

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Review:

I have listened to these monitors for about a month now. They have performed greatly with my home theater system. My power is x7 at 110 watts per ch. These little 8 ohm spks. have performed well beyond my desired needs. Thank you Polk Audio. I am pleased...

by Mark Breuer, October 17, 2004

Strengths:

- Clarity - Ricn powerful sound

Weaknesses:

-NONE

Review:

I just purchased a HK-AVR230 receiver and the new monitor book shelf speakers along with a Polk center channel and 2 ceiling mount Polks in the back. Let me tell you the sound is absolutely amazing. It's clear power, richness and full sound is something you must here. I was limited to space because my wife didn't want giant towers in the great room.:) So I had to buy the best small book shelf speakers I could find.The system could not have turned out any better. Do yourself a favor and don't waste your time with other brands that claim they are the best. Go get a Harmon Kardon receiver matched with the best speakers on the planet, POLK AUDIO! You will not be disappointed!

by Jon Oden, January 9, 2005

Strengths:

Sound quality is top notch. The price and look is unbeatable.

Weaknesses:

None that I have seen.

Review:

I have tried 3 other speakers in the same price range, and these are by far the best. The sound from them is amazing, and they are the best looking speakers on the market. I use them as the only two speakers (along with a sub) in my system. Movies and music sound better than ever. Don't waste time with anything else. These speakers should be a first choice for anyone.

by Connor, February 2, 2005

Strengths:

Sound is crisp and clear even at high volumes.

Weaknesses:

Absoulutely None.

Review:

These are the best speakers I have ever owned, im running them off an onkyo TX8211, and I have them backed with My old Panasonic speakers. Their is no comparison between the two. The Polks sound sooo much better its unbelievable, not to mention that they look nice. And I recently learned that a subwwofer can be connected to them just in case you have no subwoofer out put on your reciever, and the speaker out puts are full.

by Aubrey Jeffcote, February 13, 2005

Strengths:

Clear highs,warm + lifelike mid's,nice tight low end.Looks good enough to please my wife,who is VERY picky.

Weaknesses:

While there is good bass responce,it may be a little weak without a sub.

Review:

I am a new Polk fan.My Monitor 30's which are far from being broken in sound fantastic.Better than all other speakers I've tried in this price range amd most that cost 2 to 3 times as much.Just replaced R50's with these,and I'm very pleased,so much so that I ordered more 30's and some 40's too.Try it,you'll liiiike it!

by Tim Menz, March 2, 2005

Strengths:

great highs, clear mid-bass, beautiful looks

Weaknesses:

requires a powered sub, but who doesnt have one this day in age

Review:

Dont waste your money with anything else. I have the whole voice match set of m50's, m30's, CS1, and psw 10, my home theater can rival anyone i know. There is no reason to step up to the rt series unless you are running seprate amplifiers for you home theater, so I would recommend any one to buy a set of these monitors. Doesnt matter which ones you get, or how you make your system. The whole series is voice matched, no one speaker over powers another which is so great. The only change I will be making is stepping up to the psw 12 when I get the money. I have nothing but good things to say about this monitor series. Thank you Matt Polk for making affordable speakers that put everyone else to shame.

by Thomas S, March 23, 2005

Strengths:

Very precise audio imaging speakers.

Weaknesses:

None in themselves. Will require purchasing a stand if used as surrounds.

Review:

These speakers would make great front speakers in a not so large room. Though, I only use them for my surrounds, so I haven't felt their full potential. Even though I have them directly to my left and right (about 8 feet away each), I have heard them create a standing wave that sounded like it was inside my mind. I was blown away with how precise they are.

by Mark N., April 14, 2005

Strengths:

Clarity, Presence, Looks. I could go on and on. Running a vintage Pioneer SA8500II thru them...WOW!

Weaknesses:

None in my opinion...Some say weak bass but in my situation...Apartment living, using a EQ and bi-wired with Monster...Not!

Review:

After buying 4 sets of new speakers in the past year (for 4 different systems) and comparing with others in the same price range I've always went with Polk Audio. RTi8's-R30's- Monitor 60's and finally the Monitor 30's. To me nothing compares. And especially the 30's. I prefer them even over my "old" Paradigm Mini Monitors. Much less muddy and "in your face".Clear as the proverbial bell!

by Manuel Barreto, PR, April 28, 2005

Strengths:

su tamaņo la hace perfecta para apartamentos y lugares reducidos.

Weaknesses:

El cableado doble no es claro y especifico

Review:

Actualmente las utilizo como bocinas principales en mi sistema de teatro en la casa "home theater" su sonido es expectacular, claro esta por su tamaņo no reproducen sonidos bajos, hay que complementarlo con un subwoofer. Estoy muy contento con la compra.

by Richard Lacy, July 18, 2005

Strengths:

Looks great and excellent audio characteristics

Weaknesses:

none

Review:

An excellent speaker which can be used for a front (left + right) surround system plus excellent an excellent speaker to use as surround speakers.

by Fernando Zuniga, August 16, 2005

Strengths:

Price and sound quality

Weaknesses:

Bass sounds

Review:

I bougth this pair as a front speakers of my personal home theater system, after I bought the monitor 60 I used these as a surround speakers and the quality of sound is just perfect. Actually I use a Marantz 7500 system and the sound is incredible, of course for that price you lost some of the bass sound, but the sound their produced is natural and clear, is just an spectacular experience.

by bogart, August 27, 2005

Strengths:

Clear and detailed sound, good craftmanship for the enclosure, elegant look and affordable price.

Weaknesses:

At first, thin sound and lack of lows.

Review:

I bought this monitor 30 a couple of weeks ago. The first week of having and listening to this speakers, I thought Mathew Polk had disappointed me, having plans to return the stuff to the dealer where I bought the pair. Thin sound and lack of lows. But when I employed the bi-wiring capability of this speakers and paired it with PSW10 and powered by Marantz receiver....Gee, I thought Lee Ritenour and Larry Carlton were inside my room playing their 6 strings. The sound was raw, acoustic and clear, I also auditioned Spyro Gyra and Steely Dan. This pair of small speakers sounds big and really kickass.

by Ken Thompson, September 30, 2005

Strengths:

Clear and detailed highs and mids, bass was even for the size. Overall sound was well defined plus the built and craftmanship quality.

Weaknesses:

NONE...for its range.

Review:

I bought this M30 a month ago and I was surprised how this small speakers could sound so amazing plus the factor of good craftmanship and built quality. The enclosure was rocksolid, a combo of traditional box with a modern titanium faceplate. The model which I have was made in the Far East but the built and quality seems as if it was made in North America or somewhere else.

by Apodaca, October 15, 2005

Strengths:

Great value. Excellent design, fit and finish. An improvrment over the R series.

Weaknesses:

Tey are tad on the bright side and not as clear or detailed as the RTis which retail for almost the same price.

Review:

These speakers are a good value and are a noticable step up from the R series. The tweeter is not as harsh and they go down lower in bass. The fit in finish like all other Polk speakers is excellent. They are slightly on the bright side but not nearly as much as what I have heard from Klipsch. Also the mounting post is very convenient. You will not be disappointed with these speakers especially if paired up with a good sub.

by shaun, October 17, 2005

Strengths:

Sounded good, and werent a bad price

Weaknesses:

They blew under 2 months, unacceptable.

Review:

They were good when they didnt blow. Both speakers blew within a month and a half. I played them loud, but was told they could handle the wattage. I don't know if i'll ever buy another polk product again.

by Derek Skinner, December 16, 2005

Strengths:

Look good, and the price wasnt that bad.

Weaknesses:

Too much highs, found really tinny. Very unimpressive.

Review:

For the price, you get what you pay for. $200. I bought them for rears, and in 6 channel stereo, very unimpressive..... But I will upgrade with the RTi series. overall, I should have spent more money on a bigger speaker. in basement about 22ft. by 18ft. Yamaha 6.1 stereo.

by BDP, January 19, 2006

Strengths:

Sound imaging for the size is awesome. Competitively priced.

Weaknesses:

As stated by many before me: weak on the low end. Don't use without a sub.

Review:

My kids got together and bought me these speakers for Christmas. I had recently purchased an upper end 7.1 system, but only had the RM6500 speakers that I had purchased with my original surround sound system. I was surprised by the weight of these speakers: They seemed fairly lightweight to even the more compact RM6500 satellites. However, after calibrating everything, they were astonishingly similar in tone and quality I have been living with for the past 5 years.

by Kevin Lakamp, February 19, 2006

Strengths:

Clean and compact design with quality workmanship. Clear and dynamic sound reproduction that when coupled with a sub, are fantastic.

Weaknesses:

Still looking. Too small to believe the sound is coming out of them.

Review:

My wife swiped the right and left floor speakers from my home theater system for her system. I looked at many different options and decided to go with a quality bookshelf model. I still just sit and stare at these while they play, not believing they are producing the sound I am hearing. Outstanding value.

by Jeff Whetstone, March 8, 2006

Strengths:

Size,sound,price

Weaknesses:

None found, need help,LOL

Review:

Love'm.

by Jason F, March 18, 2006

Strengths:

Small cabinet with impeccable build quality. Beautiful real wood veneer finishes, not vinyl.

Weaknesses:

NONE!

Review:

Very clean,accurate and powerful sound. From Classical to Hard Rock these speakers put you in the middle oftheperformance no holds barred.

by raffaele c., April 26, 2006

Strengths:

clear high and mid, economic, nice, powerful

Weaknesses:

there's no lower end..

Review:

I've just bought these speakers. They are very good for the price (only 149 euro here in Italy) but I cannot make comparison because I've never had an home theatre/Hi-fi. I use them with an Harman Kardon avr 130. I find them a little bit weak and cold for the lower end. I put along with a PSW10 and it was very difficult to find a setting (sub-speakers-ampli) that satisfied my willingness of a warm sound. But maybe now I'have found it! Some one said that using by wiring could give a better result.. if you can give me some advice about by-wiring I will be happy! my mail is rafcap78@yahoo.it Thank you

by VDS, May 20, 2006

Strengths:

Well balanced sound. Rich and smooth, strongly recommended for surround channels along with the superb RT1 series as main speakers.

Weaknesses:

None.

Review:

The Monitor 30 really stands up to the competion, with a finelly built cabinet and a very nice design. It surpasses the technical specs Polk is so careful to publish, presenting a solid sound performance at a small price. Highly recommended.

by Chris C., June 5, 2006

Strengths:

incredibly clear sounding..awesome price..look great

Weaknesses:

None!!

Review:

I have these set up with a Jensen 10 inch woofer..a set of JBL E10's and a Sony 120 watt reciever..awesome..they blow everything thing esle in its class away..they put shame to all the BOSE..I'm getting the monitor 40's to put in place of the 30's and the 30's will be where the JBL's are..can't wait..Polk did and outstanding job on these bad boys

by Joe, July 29, 2006

Strengths:

Excellent soundstage... Performance far exceeds cost...

Weaknesses:

Review:

I have the T20e version of the Monitor 30's. Great economical speakers! Please see my comments listed under the PSW 10 reviews.

by Scott, August 24, 2006

Strengths:

Super efficient, sound incredible at low power levels. Imagine is expansive, room filling full sound reproduction! Love 'em.

Weaknesses:

NONE

Review:

I bought 2 pairs of the Monitor 30's in Jan.'06, along with a pair of RTi8's and Velodyne 10" powered sub. Since I was doing a complete revamping of my home theatre system I also bought a Yamaha 7.1 surround receiver, rated at 140 watts/rmsx7channels. Because of intricate wiring requirements, I have yet to hook up one pair of the Monitor 30's. But running a 5channel surround system sounds outstanding! The pair of Monitor's that is currently running sound great, as do the RTi's whether watching a movie or listening to music. Out of curiosity, a week ago I connected the remaining pair of Monitor's to my circa 1980 stereo receiver that is in my garage (45watts/channel). I was floored by the unbelieveable sound quality and imaging! I've read some reviews stating that these have no low/bass response. I disagree! Granted, they cannot stand alone and sound like a sub implemented system, but certainly hold there own especially for their size. AND I have no doubt that if I were to overdrive these speakers and push a ton of distortion through them that they would fail. All speakers will, for it's a fact that it's the distortion from the source amp being pushed too near or beyond it's capacity that is the primary reason speakers will blow. These speakers are so efficient that I have no reason to overdrive them. In my garage, if I run them at a constant 5 watts per channel, my wife will come ask me to turn down the volume...that is, if I'm playing it late in the evening and she's trying to sleep! Sorry honey! ;)

by Mark B, September 25, 2006

Strengths:

The cleanest sounding speakers I've ever owned. Combined with a decent sized sub, these speakers can fill any sized room with even clear sound. Perfect for a home theatre system

Weaknesses:

I could say not enough bass but anyone buying a good speaker like this should obviously be considering buying a sub, id rather have clarity in my bookshelf speakers than bass.

Review:

I've had my R30s for more than a year and they still sound perfect. I blast them pretty much everyday and they sound perfectly clear, it'll max out whatever power you got in your receiver before sounding at all distorted.

by Aaron, November 6, 2006

Strengths:

Excellent performance for the price. As long as you're not a big bass fan these alone should prove sufficient. Also, cherry finish looks real.

Weaknesses:

I think the 55Hz freq. response is a little unrealistic. With a sub you'ld want to set the crossover significantly higher.

Review:

I've had these for a few weeks now, and feel like I've passed any initial break-in period. I'm in a stereo setup as the vast majority of my listening is devoted to music alone. I bi-wired these 30s and coupled them with a high quality subwoofer. The subwoofer makes a great difference. More than simply "adding" bass, it frees the monitors from performing a role they were honestly not built to perform. Without a a good dedicated sub(which I tried by disconnecting the line-level outputs and reconnecting the 30s to my receiver) they would get 4 stars for muddying the deep bass against which the highs seemed too bright. With a subwoofer I feel it is still a tad bright but the price/performance ratio is at the very top of the chart (if not completely off it). These M30s certainly do not disapoint.

by James Glenn Jr, December 3, 2006

Strengths:

Surprisingly strong bass. Not a sub woofer of course but more bass than I expected.

Weaknesses:

I do not really like the raised grill. I prefer a flush grill. This is only my personal preference and has no reflection on the speaker performance.

Review:

I am so glad I bought these Monitor 30's. The quality is next to none. I already own a pair of Polk Audio RTi38 for the front. I purchased 2 pair of Monitor 30 for surround and back speakers on my 6.1 system. The bass response is much more than I expected but not boomy. Highs are accurate and precise. Mids are clean and clear. I know I got a superior speaker. Nothing else in the price range comes close and a 5 year warranty. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for surrounds. They would also make an excellent front speaker but you might want a sub woofer.

by Steve, January 15, 2007

Strengths:

Great dynamic range. Crystal clear with no distortion. Quality build. Very solid. It feels expensive. I auditioned it against a paradigm and definitive and the polk outshined the both

Weaknesses:

Not many weaknesses.... the best bang for the buck out there. High end quality for moderate price.

Review:

I had, what I thought, was a decent HTIB that I bought back in 2001. One of the speakers blew and I thought I was just going to pick up a replacement. I ended up with a pair of M10. Hmmm... brought and thought they sounded fantastic, what on earth had i been missing. A week later, back to the store and picked up a pair of these Monitor thirties and moved the M10s from the front to the rear. The Monitors are truly incredible. Paired with my left over jvc sub (100w powered), they sounded fantastic. Truly impressive highs and mids. The low range is not bad either, but the sub clearly fills in the gap. Yesterday, I decided my jvc receiver (pro log, not pro logic IIX), had to go! I just ordered a pioneer vsx-1016 to dress up my m30s and I ordered a pair of R150's (got a great deal on them at Fry's) for the rears (moving the m10's to the sides) to run a 7.1 system. Can't wait to get this set up!!!

by OceanMan, January 20, 2007

Strengths:

Clarity, crispness, female vocals, soundstage,midrange.Heard some amazing cello on these babes! Liked good vinyl over CD due to warmth of Vinyl on these speakers and typical harshness of digital.But maybe that's just me.Build quality and looks are superb at this price!

Weaknesses:

Really none at $199.bucks/pr. Yeah, some will say I get more bass for so and so's speakers. Fine, I hear those same people blasting all bass in their cars everyday ! Sorry, that's NOT music, it's distortion. And remember-IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC" !! OceanMan

Review:

As an audiophile I'm always looking at new TOYS.As I've been very happy with my "friends" for about 5/6 yrs I've just looked, not bought. But after our 4 hurricaines here in S Florida a pair of my dear Linaeum Ribbon speakers developed "rot". So I got back in the search for a great little speaker for music in a small guest Bedroom 22'x25'x20'H. This little room holds a special place in my heart because the acoustics are fantastic and because I have 2 antique stereo systems in there . So I auditioned and purchased the Polk Monitor 30's, Polk being famous for their speakers for 30 yrs.These puppies are fabulous!After a 24 hr burn in using XLO's Reference Test& Burn-In CD and the Cardas Sweep Record I bypassed tonal controls with "Pure Audio" and fired up some "Records/CD's To Die For".These little speakers are a blast. Had a lot of fun listening to Old Rock, Classic Jazz,Crossover Country and audiophile recordings on both CD and Vinyl! No Sub! At down 20 to 0 the sound was clear and natural with a very good soundstage. Female vocals, which are difficult,were very good at dead-on listening position.Now comparing the M30's to my reference $15000.00/pr Legacy Whispers and associated equipment is ridiculous but these little gems performed! Highly recommended !!

by Marty, April 17, 2007

Strengths:

Fantastic through the range in specs. Pair with a sub (even a moderate one) and they sound really flawless.

Weaknesses:

none... for the size, the coin... nothing compares, except, perhaps, other Polks!

Review:

Fantastic speakers! Initially I thought pretty much what everyone else thought... fantastic above 160 hz, but could use a little bass. Then paired with a psw10 sub, sounded a little better. Finally bought a real amplifier (Sony ES - 170w/ch)... and they SHINE! No problem handling the power, I honestly can't turn them all the way up (and... the sub keeps up fine with the high power amplifer!)

by vispy dadimaster, August 14, 2007

Strengths:

pin point imaging full bodied sound from tiny cabinets.

Weaknesses:

none- except they sound so good, i'm tempted to upgrade to the rti 4/6

Review:

having just changed over from the wharfadale diamond 8"s for my stereo set up, found the 30's more easier to drive, good soundstage and excellent imaging. A thoroughly engaging and exciting listen.

by Angel Villanueva, March 7, 2008

Strengths:

Sound realistic uniform,clear, solid construction incredible presence

Weaknesses:

Many problems for other manufacturers speakers, that Monitor 30 for the price and sound quality are the best

Review:

I have an Onkyo receiver and use to a second zone, a second area never sounded as good as these Babies sound and amplitude are the best description for this speakers, Thanks again Mathew Polk you are the man.

by Sheila Thomas, March 22, 2008

Strengths:

Cost to value ratio, along with great sound. Nice and crisp, regardless of the input source.

Weaknesses:

As mentioned bass, but even my old passive sub beautifully augment the low end.

Review:

Got 2 pair on sale and have only hooked up one to an old 100 watt receiver along with an old non-powered Cerwin Vega sub. They sound absolutely incredible.

by Scott W., April 1, 2008

Strengths:

Price and great look

Weaknesses:

None really. Just a bit on the big side.

Review:

Great speaker! Just finished my re-build of my HT. All polk speakers. What a difference. I have M30s, CS1 and PSW 10. It rocks the house.

by Kyle, May 27, 2008

Strengths:

great response to high's and most mid range frequency's.

Weaknesses:

too much high for a stand alone system.

Review:

great shelf speakers.. i used them as part of a 2.1 home theater system. and they worked great..

by Shaun, December 4, 2008

Strengths:

Bass in a small room, its not strong enough to physically feel, yet the reperduction is amazing. And the detail in the midrange and highs are so addictive, you just want to sit close your eyes and enjoy what is coming out of them.

Weaknesses:

It makes you want to listen to music non-stop, and buy more albums! And upgrade the rest of my equipment.

Review:

On my first visit to the now defunct Tweeter music stores, I was introduced to the Polk brand. I was simply looking for tower speakers to replace some vintage blown 901's. The salesman was more than kind enough to show me all of the speakers that were present. He told me about the sale of these speakers. They were on sale becuae they were the discontinued Natural Maple. Which I must say is a shame, becasue it was the best color, for any speaker. But after hearing these little guys play multiple types of music I bought them. When I got them home I hooked them up into my bedroom. These speakers can really sing. I have played everything through these things from Radiohead, Diana Krall, Sinatra, the Beatles, Type o Negative, Tool (which I must say I never knew there was that much little detail in their music), NIN, Misfits, Ray Charles, Classical, Coldplay, Shiny Toy guns, some Bone'thugs and Harmony, Slipknot, Mudvayne, Death Cab for Cutie, Little Big Town, and some Conway Twitey (They reproduce that sadness in his voice so well). I have listened to every type of music through these little guys. And they are amazing! Some say they feel bad for getting such a deal on these. Well I don't because now I looking to by their RTi A9's for my main 2 channel listening set up, powered by a vintage Harmon Kardon Citation 16 power amp. How I have them set up. To power these I am currently using a cheep entry level reciever from KLH Audio that I got in college. It is a suround sound reciever that claims to push a 100 watts per channel. I am by no means knocking KLH, their products (I have two recievers and their mini suround sound speakers) they have served me well for many years, playing very long and for a very long time. But I am sure that a better reciever would make them sing on a whole new level. Anyhow I originally just had a set of bare wires going to the speakers. But then I thought I would try to bi-wire them. And I say that is a must, it is pretty clear, audibly, that they sound better. The highs are a little less harsh, and the bass is stronger. Overall it becomes a much "warmer sounding speaker. If you want a very accurate "warm" sounding speakers Polk is what you want. If not, you want more brightness, check out Klispch. The only reason why I only gave them four starts is because they are one of the lowest speakers in their line. Do not have any doubts about these speakers. Unless you want to go to a high prices speaker just for the heck of it. You will be happy with these. Thank you Polk

by Robert B., January 5, 2009

Strengths:

Crisp, Clear, Precise, Powerful and Convincing highs. Warm, Full and Satisfying Mids. Solid, Defined, Punchy Bass. Classic meshed contemporary appearance. Excelent Workmanship. Spectacular sound when accompanied by stronger speakers or subwoofer.

Weaknesses:

When running standalone as main channel, bass is slightly hollow.

Review:

Matthew Polk's brilliant re-execution of the 70s era "Monitor" series has been nothing shy of spectacular. The "Monitor" series, was the line of loudspeakers that became so successful, they earned Polk Audio their strong reputation that defines them to this day. Polk Audio (Founded in 1972) is one of America's best speaker companies offering outstanding engineering achievement, combined with budget concious, yet economical design. That is what makes Polk Audio one of the most successful and recognized audio companies in the industry. It allows people with a smaller budget, to get the high quality audio they desire, without having to spend thousands of dollars on a pair of speakers. For my particular application, I wanted to improve my stereo system in my bedroom. I was looking for high quality bookshelf speakers to use as a rear channel. Something to replace my older Bose bookshelf speakers currently in use as the rear channel. Now obviously because these speakers will be placed on my bedside tables, selection of these speakers is critical. Just based on positional placement, I knew these speakers had to sound good, because my ears will be closer to the rear channel than the front channel. I was specifically looking for Polk, to accompany my Polk Audio tower speakers I currently have in use as my main channel on the bedroom stereo. I wanted my whole bedroom to be "Powered by Polk Audio". In my auditioning and shopping process, I had two different pairs of Polk Audio bookshelf speakers in mind that could be used in my application of a rear channel. The Polk Audio R150 Bookshelf Loudspeakers (Orig. Rtl. $180/pr) and the famed Polk Audio Monitor 30 Bookshelf Loudspeakers. Stacking up just the sheer difference, the Monitor 30 said "Quality and Value" to me more than the R150s did. I did some comprehensive research prior to even going to the store by reading consumer and professional reviews on both speakers. While I could not find any professional opinions on the R150, I did find a professional review (Steve Guttenberg - CNET) of the Monitor 30. It was favorable. On the consumer end, many have said that both pairs of speakers offer spectacular performance for the price. However thats to be expected with Polk Audio. While both sets of speakers offer Polk Audio's patented "Dynamic Balance" drivers, the Monitor 30s already hit off better with me due to the tweeter dome being 1/4 inch larger then that on the R150, which can help reveal Polk Audio's classic sound, defined as "open, spacious and clear". The crossovers in the Monitor 30 use Mylar bypass capicitors for more detailed high frequencies, something the R150 lacks. Another decision maker for me, was the cabinet material. While the Monitor 30 uses a MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) which sounds very good for a budget speaker, and does the job of re-producing a very detailed, solid soundstage. The R150 uses a pressed particle board(Common in low quality or inexpensive speakers), which steals away from sound quality, and delivers audio that doesn't feel as "rich" or as "full", some would even describe particle board as aiding in producing a "tinny" or "box-like" sound, which to me, is a huge no no. The Monitor 30 however, quite the contrary... Thats not to say the R150 is a bad speaker, because its not, anything Polk makes shines quality. Its just the Monitor 30 appeared to be a higher quality speaker that would better suit my individual tastes. Nothing feels worse than arriving home with a new set of speakers, to plug them in only to feel not satisfied. I didn't want to be in that situation, so at that point, I counted out the R150s and proceeded to investigate the Monitor 30s a little more. The Monitor 30 is the smallest loudspeaker of Polk's re-execution of the famed "Monitor" series. Suceeded by the Monitor 40, 50, 60, 70. This solid quality model loudspeaker can be found in any form ranging from compact bookshelf, to well diversified floor standing tower speakers. Any loudspeaker in the Monitor series, is sure to please even the most discerning audiophile - even by just price alone. As opposed to just a quick audition and write up, I decided to audition the Monitor 30 on my stereo system for the whole afternoon and evening, playing a diverse selection of music, scenes from two different Blu-Ray movies, Sirius satellite radio, and television feeding from a DirecTV receiver box. Of all these mediums, the music is what stood out the most. Some of the real defining tracks in the audition were, "Forsaken" and "A Change of Seasons" by Dream Theater, "The Nomad" and "Blood Brothers" by Iron Maiden, "The Hollow" and "The Package" by A Perfect Circle, "Wings for Marie" and "10,000 Days" by Tool, "Take a Hit" by Mack 10, "Notorius Thugs" and "Foe the Love of Money" by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, "Elanore Rigby", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Within You Without You", "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" by The Beatles from the freshly re-mastered Beatles Love album. I also auditioned a few different scenes from two different Blu-Ray discs, including combat scenes from the movies "Troy" and "300". Lets not forget Sirius Radio. I cycled between a few different channels with Sirius including, 72 "Pure Jazz" , 73 "Spa", 74 "BB Kings Bluesville" and 75 "Siriusly Sinatra". For DirecTV, I just tested out the normal channels I watch like "The Weather Channel", "Adult Swim", "TNT" and a few others. To finish it all off, I checked out "NBA Live 09" by EA Sports for the Sony PlayStation 3. After I got my bass, mids, and treble balanced, all there was to do, was sit back and relax, and scroll through numerous songs with eyes closed. Because this stereo is in my bedroom, the speaker placement is set up as such to offer ideal listening position from both front and rear channels laying down like normal or sitting up against the headboard. The Polk Monitor 30 offered a beautiful consistence of characteristics between all different types of music and songs. With brilliant, detailed highs that shine with perfection. Reproduction of instruments sound very good. Infact, they sound very realistic. The Monitor 30s 1" silk dome tweeter delivers very solid, clean, crisp and defined highs. Demonstrating cymbals and high frequencies that jumped right out of the speakers. Vocals sound fresh and balanced. Especially females. While auditioning Sirius radio, the voices of Rosemary Clooney and Ella Fitzgerald maintained a crisp authenticity at high or low volumes. Male volcalists carry a balanced, clean characteristic while the Monitor's spectacular mids and lows provide body and fulfillment to the voices. The 5 1/4" Mid/Woofer driver performed almost flawlessly with dynamic precision. The Monitor 30 does an amazing job of reproducing good, balanced mids, and very even lows with minimal to no distortion. Electric and acoustic guitars sound phenominal as the Monitor 30 delivers a rich, fulfilling instrumental tone that made me feel all "warm and fuzzy" inside. Its as if I was still nine years old and got my first electric guitar. I was giddy with happiness. The bass is solid, defined, and punchy, and the mids are warm, full and satisfying. One of the nicer little details I was able to pick up on is how the speakers handled "clean drops". Some of the tracks I auditioned have parts in them were everything stops at once: instruments, percussion, vocals, everything....drops. The Monitor 30s handled these drops well, especially at higher volumes. Some lower end speakers in that type of situation would offer some sort of feedback or a static-y "fshhhhhhhhh" type sound. But when the audio dropped, the Monitor 30s became quiet..... as if they were turned off... No static, no feedback, nothing.... Just a clean drop... This type of characteristic indicates a sign of "exceptional design" to me. In comparison, my Bose bookshelf speakers used in this application previously, couldn't handle those drops like the Monitor 30s could. The Bose would have that feedback, that static-y "fshhhhhhhh" sound. I was happy to overcome that. The movies offered a good solid stereo surround experience. The clashing of swords in a battle of millions, horse gallops and "neighs", the grunts of soldiers, clean slashes of flesh, and every other little detail feature film sound offers. I felt like I was sitting in the middle of it, the battles were happening around me. Watching a feature length film on the Monitor 30s would be an immersive, and exciting experience. Both drivers alike on these speakers were tested, as epic style feature films typically feature deep, defined orchestral scores and millions of little detailed sound effects. All of which sound balanced, convincing and believable. I also tested EA's new "NBA Live 09" for the PlayStation 3. The basketball game was an excelent medium to test. As real basketball games even heard on TV have little detailed noises like the squeaks of shoes and dribbling basketballs. Lets not forget the crowd of 20,000 people surrounding you. Once again, the Monitor 30s offered an amazing sound experience which made me feel immersed in the middle of everything. Like I was on the basketball floor, playing with my favorite NBA team, making that critical shot and having the crowd explode all around me. I'm looking forward to the many hours of high definition gaming as the Monitors help keep me immersed in the most realistic gaming experiences i'll ever play to date. The Monitor 30s preserve a nice asethetic appearance. Meshing together classic design with contemporary 21st century flare. The appearance reminds me of recording studio monitors (Hence "Monitor" series I assume) that would accompany a studio mixing board. The side with the titanium finish where the drivers are located look clean, simple, precise and well refined. The engineers interesting design of inverting the tweeter/woofer placement intrigues me. If you look at the ported opening on the rear of the speaker, the tweeter sits precisely adjacent to the port. I'm not positive what the Polk Engineers had in mind with this design, but I would assume because its a bookshelf speaker, and in most applications it would be placed higher than ear level, the tweeter would deliver crisp, solid highs to the listener (Sitting lower), without being overpowered by the mids or bass. My particular placement on the bedside table leaves the Monitor 30s at ear level - and regardless of tweeter/woofer placement, Polk Audio knew what they were doing when they designed this loudspeaker. The Monitor 30s were orignally available in two different finishes. A black wood grain, or faux cherry wood grain. However the cherry finish on this model has been discontinued. I was rather disapointed in Polk as I was hoping I could find some cherry Monitor 30s to accompany my cherry finish Polk tower speakers in the front. But speaker finishes have practically been thrown out the window, due to the straight brilliance this speaker offers. Even from the beginning, I felt as if I was completely immersed in my audio. Towards the evening hours when it got dark outside, the experience only got better. One can always close one's eyes, but when its dark outside of the eyelids, you're relaxed and completely immersed. The feeling that struck me was unbelievable. Its as if I was "high" on music. A completely convincing and believeable soundstage that felt as if those artists and vocalists were sitting in my bedroom with me, putting on a private show. It was simply spectacular. BOTTOM LINE: Solid set of bookshelf loudspeakers, that sound much larger than they look. Sturdy dependable construction. Quality materials and workmanship. Sleek design meshing classic and contemporary style. When accompanied by a good quality pair of main speakers and reasonable amp/receiver, these little bookshelf loudspeakers offer pure "audio bliss". I am once again extremely impressed with Polk Audio. Offering a very high quality pair of speakers for a great price. I hope and plan to get years of use with these Monitor 30s. ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT: Denon AVR Surround Receiver (2)Polk Audio R40 Tower Loudspeakers (Main Channel) (2)Polk Audio Monitor 30 Bookshelf Loudspeakers (Rear Channel) Apple iPod Sirius Satellite Radio Sony PlayStation 3 DirecTV Satellite TV receiver (fed through TV) COMPERABLE EQUIPMENT FACTORED IN: (2)Polk Audio R150 Bookshelf Loudspeakers (2)Bose Bookshelf Loudspeakers

Polk Response:

Wow, you win the award for longest customer review! :)

by Chris O, April 14, 2009

Strengths:

Fantastic sound from a small speaker! Great for multi-channel or stereo use.

Weaknesses:

None to think of!

Review:

I have used these for back surrounds for a 7.1 home theater system with Monitor 40s for side surrounds, Monitor 70s for the mains, and a CS1 center. Wife was complaining of too many speakers (and living room is not quite right for a 7 channel set-up anyway) so I decided to go 5.1 in the living room and using the Monitor 30's for the bedroom. They were awesome in the living room but after hearing them as a stand alone stereo pair, I almost feel they were wasted as back surround speakers. The sound these things emit is incredible. Surprising, punchy, and full bass for a speaker of this size. Open mids, clear highs and superior imaging make these babies sound like a much larger and expensive speaker. I even compared them to a pair of RT15i with similar specifications but featured Polk's Power Port technology and the Monitor 30s blew them away! Thank you Polk for making affordable speakers with high end sound for those of us without high end budgets!

by JR Marks, February 27, 2010

Strengths:

Full Sound. Bass response better than expected for this size fo speaker. Mid / High very clear. Pricing.

Weaknesses:

None.

Review:

I bought a pair of these to use as Front Presence Speakers in our listening area and the Monitor 30s have not disappointed. The high and mid range frequencies are clear and acuurate. The bass response on these speakers is a lot better than I would have expected for a smaller book shelf speaker. The Monitor 30s round out a matched Monitor system, with Monitor 10Bs, CS2, Monitor 40s, and a PSW12 that is anchored by a Yamaha HTR 5890 AVR. The Monitor 30s have added the extra bit of fullness that was lacking in our listening environment and handle both movies and music wonderfully.

by JimC, May 10, 2010

Strengths:

Value for the money, and the CUSTOMER SERVICE.

Weaknesses:

Grills a little weak, so handle with care.

Review:

Can't beat them for the money. Excellent construction and sound. Customer service is one of the best I've dealt with. I've bought many Polks from the company, and they stand behind their product. Respond very quickly and thoroughly.

by survival gear, March 2, 2013

Strengths:

A nice piece of survival gear! survival kits 4 oz The last decade has also increased, unless you really need more water friendly shoe with the rapidly iterating Android offerings, or buttresses. Nonetheless, with graphics performance?

Weaknesses:

A nice piece of survival gear! survival kits 4 oz The last decade has also increased, unless you really need more water friendly shoe with the rapidly iterating Android offerings, or buttresses. Nonetheless, with graphics performance?

Review:

A nice piece of survival gear! survival kits 4 oz The last decade has also increased, unless you really need more water friendly shoe with the rapidly iterating Android offerings, or buttresses. Nonetheless, with graphics performance?

Steve Guttenberg
CNet.com, December 8, 2004

"Polk's build-quality standards outpace the competition's...cabinet construction is rock solid, and the internal crossover uses high-quality parts...Ably assisted by the PSW10, the [Monitor]30 sounds like a much larger speaker...The speakers' dynamic impact and power are state of the art for a system in this price class...Clearly, the spiffy new Monitor ensemble is a worthy successor to the original models."

[ Open Review ]