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Submitted by
Mike Van Unen
a Audio EnthusiastDate Reviewed: March 21, 2010
Bottom Line: I have 6 of these set up in my 7 chan. surround using a 800 watt amp. Not only do I hear and notice things that I never have through other speakers they sound better then any other speaker I have heard because they are so plain accurate and warm sounding no matter what I play, via guitar pre amp, rock, country, movies, classic or anything audiable you would have to spend X10 times more to match the sound quality of these units. I push them very hard with my huge amp and they rock and I never blow speakers.
Used product for: More than 1 year
Duration Product Used: Audio Enthusiast
Product model year: 2006
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
powerguymark
a Audio EnthusiastDate Reviewed: March 7, 2010
Bottom Line: Bought these for $65.00 each through Fry's. I defy anyone to find a better value for less than $150.00/pair. As far as reported tweeter problems go, the vast majority of tweeters are damaged from over driving an under powered amp, not because the tweeters are poorly designed. (garbage in-smoke out)
Read-TheKid72's review of the Polk R50's- he is pretty much on target.
Used product for: 3 Months to 1 year
Duration Product Used: Audio Enthusiast
Product model year: 2008
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
P Carney
a Audio EnthusiastDate Reviewed: December 14, 2009
Bottom Line: Sounded good for about a day. Like another reviewer, I heard things in my music that I had never heard before. I rate these low because it only took a day for the tweeter in my pair to fail. Polk has diasapointed once before with quality, albeit in car audio. Lesson learned. Save thy money and go for better as I did in car audio.
Used product for: Less than 1 month
Duration Product Used: Audio Enthusiast
Product model year: 2009
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Danopah
a AudioPhileDate Reviewed: January 13, 2009
Bottom Line: I've realized that you can really enjoy something for a lower cost if it saves you the money to buy surround and rear surround speakers to complement your 5.1 or 7.1. home theater
Strengths:
Mids, design, cabinet, appearance, imaging, versatility in placement. Heavy!
Weaknesses:
EXTREMELY LONG BREAK-IN PERIOD! I listened to them for months until they really sounded their best. Heavy!
6 inch woofer helped, but would suggest placing money for deep bass into a dedicated sub to maximize the performance to cash ratio.
Used product for: 1 to 3 months
Duration Product Used: AudioPhile
Product model year: 2006
Price Paid:
$69.00
Purchased At: Clearance speaker In
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
TheKid72
a AudioPhileDate Reviewed: December 4, 2007
Bottom Line: The Polk R series has proven to be one of the best bargains in affordable loudspeakers on the market. Any "sins" are of omission such as limitations, as they are impressively free of serious coloration and peaks that so often plagues loudspeakers in this market and real-world street price point.
The R50 is no exception, and may be the best bang for the buck of the entire R series. I've read comments that these are great for HT but no music - like heck they are! These are a revealing loudspeaker that is not forgiving of the cheap electronics they are likely going to be connected to. When I first purchased them, I had them on a 30 year old entry level receiver where the sound was so-so. Then as I upgraded to a new Onkyo receiver, let the Audyssey system do it's automatic setup, and enjoy.
Midrange imaging is impressive . As others have stated, you'd swear there was a center channel speaker installed. On the same token, these aren't so revealing that the image extends beyond the width of their placement - no 3D soundfield here. The image expands from speaker to speaker - no further, no closer or farther away.
Treble is pleasantly airy and natural, without any peak to add "zing" to the music. Dispersion is wide, sound is open, transistion from the mid-bass drivers is smooth.
Bass - now here is where I have to disagree with most comments about these. In my setup, running them as a sterep pair without a subwoofer, they have more than ample extension for real-world music reproduction. The bass extends below what their 50Hz -3db point would leave you to expect. If anything, if driven by good electonics, most people would not need a subwoofer for music (unless providing the block with music) - but would for home theater. I strongly suspect that those who have issues with limited, strained output are really hearing their receivers run out of clean power.
Now I've been an audiophile for decades. I've owned very good equipment both in electronics and loudspeakers over the years. In preparation for a move, I sold everything - now my move has been delayed and I was climbing the walls without music. To say that I enjoy listening to music through these speakers says a lot!
In summary, these may be from Polk's entry level point, but they are now emtry level schlock. How good they sound depends on what you are driving them with. Like the Advent Loudspekers of the 1970s (which I owned back then), they are affordable, but don't mate them with budget electronics and expect much. Spend the money you saved by buying these vs. another costlier model - and invest it in the best electronics you can afford.
Used product for: Less than 1 month
Duration Product Used: AudioPhile
Product model year: 2006
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At: Frys.com
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