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Polk Audio Reserve Series R200 Review

Polk Audio Reserve Series R200

The Polk Audio Legend L100 is one of my favorite compact speakers. When I reviewed it in Issue 308, I concluded that it was not only well-crafted and superbly musical; it also represented a terrific buy in its class and beyond. Still, with budgets and other priorities being what they are in this post-pandemic world (and even at a reasonable asking price of $1199/pair), a lot of aspiring audio enthusiasts might have to sit the L100 out. Speaking to no one in particular, I asked myself, “Hey Polk, how about something in the sub-$1k range that approximates the Legend L100’s sonic performance?” Evidently the Polksters were listening to my thought bubble. Hence, the wide-ranging, nine-model Reserve Series. The collection includes three floorstanding speakers, three center-channels, two bookshelves, and a wall-mountable height module. This amounts to a wealth of configuration options. Further, since the Reserve Series has matching drivers throughout, any combination is assured of consistent voicing. 

Given the modest price points, I was surprised to learn that the Reserve Series comes with the same custom drivers as the Legend Series. This includes the proprietary Pinnacle tweeter, a 1″ ring-radiator design equipped with a tuned waveguide that improves dispersion, broadens the “sweet spot,” and reduces beaming. A damped rear-chamber helps allay any unwanted resonances. The Pinnacle also crosses over to the 6.5″ Turbine mid/bass cone, which uses Polk’s foam core and molded geometry for increased stiffness, damping, and low mass. In addition, the Reserves include Polk’s latest bass-management and resonance-control technologies—simplified compared to the L100’s exotic PowerPort. The Reserves use internal tuned-pipe absorbers, which guide air away from the port to cancel chuffing and port resonances. Topping off the R200 are anti-diffraction magnetic grilles and dual five-way binding posts.

Although both speaker lines use the same drivers, the difference in price between the Legends and the Reserves is substantial. For example, the previously reviewed L100 listed for $1199/pair; the comparably sized and spec’d R100 is $449/pair. The larger-woofer R200 reviewed here is $699/pair. So how did Polk achieve this significant cost savings? Mostly on the cabinet end of the equation. Internally, enclosure bracing was modified and reduced, while the overall profile became leaner—a bit deeper, but also a bit narrower in width. Further, the cabinet is now wrapped in vinyl (matte black or white or walnut woodgrain) rather than true wood veneer—a major cost savings. So, yes, to be honest, some of the visual glitter and gloss has been reduced. But the utilitarian design is well-executed. To my mind, it’s kind of like a race car stripped down to everything but the go-fast, crisp-handling essentials. A purity of purpose, if you will. To my ears, this is exactly what Polk has accomplished here.

Given the use of Legend transducers, I began my listening sessions with memories of the L100 fresh in my mind. I was not disappointed. Sonically, the R200 cuts right to the heart of the music by outputting tunes and tones with equal measures of accuracy, dynamism, and immediacy. As purposeful as it is lively, the R200 doesn’t shrink into the background tonally or dynamically. Nor does it recess images via frequency dips and droops in order to manufacture a factitious sense of soundstage depth. 

In character, the R200 imparts a more forward, monitor-style sound with a lively impactful presence range. It possesses a warmth in the mids, a ripe sensuality if you will, that should be welcome by aficionados of vocalists, particularly those who enjoy singers who lean into a microphone. The DSD version of Norah Jones “Come Away With Me,” for example, conveyed a warm sense of vocal air and shimmering cymbal detail. While I perceived, on occasion, a slight edge on top of Jones’ voice, this was in all cases minor. 

I spent some time listening to remastered tracks from John Lennon’s “Ultimate Collection” on Tidal, and found these high-resolution titles tight, tactile, well controlled, and pitch precise. The piano during his confessional cut “God” was clean and harmonically natural. The R200 also captured Lennon’s characteristic double-track vocals with eerie precision. The R200 doesn’t compress the midrange to the extent that typical compacts do; thus, these tracks were very lively and immediate, even with the torment of John Lennon’s primal screams during “Mother.”

The R200 made smooth sailing of the horn section during the John Williams’ excerpt of “The Cowboys” from At the Movies [Reference Recordings]. It also produced a satisfying level of bloom and expressiveness from acoustic bass and guitar during the Charlie Haden/Pat Metheny duet cover of “The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress.” As I listened to Sonny Rollins’ “I’m an Old Cowhand” from Way Out West, the full-bodied sax was projected into the room with uncompressed authority, aided by realistic transient attack that lent a reedy authenticity to Rollins’ performance. While that difficult-to-reproduce instrument didn’t drop into the lower octaves with quite as much chesty intensity as it might have, this listener didn’t feel short-changed, either.

The R200 has very good inter-driver coherence—genuine, of-a-piece comradery between the tweeter and mid/bass transducers. This is confirmed by the focused, rock-stable images the speaker conveys. This image focus benefits backup harmonies and larger vocal groupings, which are reproduced with great articulation. The backing synth drums during Linda Ronstadt’s “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” were revealed with all their tuneful electronic timbre intact. Even the insistent clang of the cowbell during the song’s intro registered with naturalism. Orchestral layering, inner detail, and low-level cues were reasonably well resolved, as well. Overall, these fine-tuned aspects of the performance weren’t quite on a par with the transparency or sense of dimension of a Magnepan or an MBL, but this elite company didn’t embarrass the R200, either.

On a demanding and propulsive track like “Murder By Numbers” by The Police, from Synchronicity, transient behavior suggested good attack, with fistfuls of punch, superior rhythmic drive off the kick drum, and righteous snap and pop from the snare—no small accomplishments given the complexities of Stewart Copeland’s imaginative and unpredictable stickwork, tempos, and time signatures.

Compact two-way monitors pretty much rise to the occasion (or not) based on the lucidity and smoothness of their treble octaves. Any aggressive upward tilt or brightness or driver beaminess is pretty hard to miss in this bass-restricted segment. The bottom octaves of a full-range loudspeaker (below fifty cycles or so) actually casts a certain amount of shade on the treble, which can cover and soften a peaky top end. Without it, rising upper-octave frequencies will be pretty fatiguing. Not falling into that trap, Polk’s tweeter remains a pretty sweet instrument in my view. While bordering ever so slightly on the drier side, it still opens up nicely, is somewhat airy, and blends smoothly with the mid/bass.

In the low end, R200 takes care of business. Note that in order for it to open up and attain its full dynamic potential, figure on about 100Wpc of clean amplifier power. That said, bass response was solid into the 50Hz range. Tonal density and dynamic output were very good for a loudspeaker of this volume. The R200 captured the elusive midbass extension and timbral authenticity that elude many compact monitors in this range. Even on organ music, there was, heavens to Betsy, barely a chuff of protest from its port. Although a single mid/bass driver is bound to limit extension and foundation, Polk’s Turbine cone borders on the heroic. For example, during the intro to Shelby Lynne’s “Just A Little Lovin,” there’s a significant amount of bass weight, control and resonant decay—enough to elicit a shudder in the room when the foot pedal strikes the kick drum. Even the powerful bass drum from “Liberty Fanfare” didn’t faze the R200. Sure, the deepest bass resonances and decays were a bit underdeveloped, and the Polk couldn’t quite complete the picture of all that’s going on in this recording, but this was a darn good approximation, anyway.

Does it measure up to the Legend L100 I reviewed? It’s surprisingly close in most criteria. Comparatively, the R200 is the more outspoken and athletic transducer, but L100 has the advantage in low-level detail, finesse, and imaging. The R200 has a hint more directionality with the tweeter, and ultimately can’t break free of its cabinet and vanish into the listening space with as much conviction. Transients, as mentioned earlier, were good, but the immediacy or speed factor that puts the listener “in the moment” seemed a little slack in comparison to the L100. Perhaps, the reduction in cabinet stiffness is the reason for this.

Polk’s R200 is an example of the positive effects of “trickle-down” technology.

The R200 is a sleeper in the best sense of the word—not showy, not expensive, but a real, no-nonsense, high-end player. My first foray into Polk Audio’s Reserve Series couldn’t have been more promising or positive. Did Polk put a little too much Legend into the Reserve Series, specifically the R200? I know what my answer is, but I’ll let your own audition of the R200 be your guide—something I highly advise, BTW. To summarize, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the R200. Fittingly, for a speaker series named Reserve, I have no reservations about it whatsoever.

Specs & Pricing

Design: Two-way, bass-reflex monitor
Drivers: 1″ ring-radiator, 6.5″ turbine cone woofer
Frequency response: 51Hz–38kHz (–3dB)
Nominal impedance: 8 ohms (3.8 ohms min.)
Sensitivity: 86dB
Dimensions: 7.5″ x 14.1″ x 13.9″
Weight: 19.1 lbs.
Price: $699/pr. 

SOUND UNITED, LLC
541 Fermi Court
Carlsbad, CA 92008
(800) 377-7655
polkaudio.com

Tags: LOUDSPEAKER POLK AUDIO STAND-MOUNT

Neil Gader

By Neil Gader

My love of music largely predates my enthusiasm for audio. I grew up Los Angeles in a house where music was constantly playing on the stereo (Altecs, if you’re interested). It ranged from my mom listening to hit Broadway musicals to my sister’s early Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Beatles, and Stones LPs, and dad’s constant companions, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. With the British Invasion, I immediately picked up a guitar and took piano lessons and have been playing ever since. Following graduation from UCLA I became a writing member of the Lehman Engel’s BMI Musical Theater Workshops in New York–working in advertising to pay the bills. I’ve co-written bunches of songs, some published, some recorded. In 1995 I co-produced an award-winning short fiction movie that did well on the international film-festival circuit. I was introduced to Harry Pearson in the early 70s by a mutual friend. At that time Harry was still working full-time for Long Island’s Newsday even as he was writing Issue 1 of TAS during his off hours. We struck up a decades-long friendship that ultimately turned into a writing gig that has proved both stimulating and rewarding. In terms of music reproduction, I find myself listening more than ever for the “little” things. Low-level resolving power, dynamic gradients, shadings, timbral color and contrasts. Listening to a lot of vocals and solo piano has always helped me recalibrate and nail down what I’m hearing. Tonal neutrality and presence are important to me but small deviations are not disqualifying. But I am quite sensitive to treble over-reach, and find dry, hyper-detailed systems intriguing but inauthentic compared with the concert-going experience. For me, true musicality conveys the cozy warmth of a room with a fireplace not the icy cold of an igloo. Currently I split my time between Santa Fe, New Mexico and Studio City, California with my wife Judi Dickerson, an acting, voice, and dialect coach, along with border collies Ivy and Alfie.

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