# Polk R50 First Impressions



## deadbeat son (Feb 24, 2008)

Well, I seem to be addicted to "good" deals lately, and couldn't resist buying a pair of the Polk R50 speakers listed in the Hot Deals section of this site. I bought them with the intention of possibly modding the crossovers, replacing the drivers, or maybe even just listening to them before passing them off to a friend. 

The speakers finally came in today. I was a little nervous when I got home from work and saw two giant boxes with Polk Audio logos on them sitting on the stoop. The boxes were a little roughed up and had holes in them. (Thanks DHL...) I took photos of the box just in case the speakers were just as bad. Once I opened them up and gave the speakers a once-over, I was relieved to see they weren't damaged. No thanks to Polk or Fry's either one for that, the speakers come single boxed, wrapped in a plastic bag, with a styrofoam cap on each end to support them and space them away from the cardboard. Fry's simply stuck a shipping label on them and sent them on their merry way.

Anyway, on to the important stuff. The speakers aren't high end by any means, but they are the most expensive model in the entry level series. That's right, the top of the bottom of the line. This is evident in the build quality of the cabinets. It's pretty obvious these are just particle board and vinyl. Not the good stuff either. I plan to pull them apart later this week, if I can find the time, to inspect the wiring, driver construction, and crossover components.

For comparison, my system consists of an old JVC single disc CD player running into an older NAD AV713 receiver. My speakers are a pair of Paradigm v.3 Mini Monitors sitting on top Sanus Steel speaker stands. My room has a tile floor, exposed brick walls, and hardwood ceilings. I do have a 3" shag New Zealand wool rug on the floor that dampens things somewhat.

I installed one Polk, and left the other Paradigm hooked up for comparison. I adjusted the balance control back and forth to A/B the speakers. I cranked up "All In," the latest release from Nothington. I couldn't detect much of a difference with this mid-fi punk rock recording, so I put on some Willie Nelson (Super Hits) and sat down for a closer listen. The Polks don't sound bad for the money. The midrange is a bit more harsh than the Monitors though. They sound grating by comparison. Also, the Polks were brighter and possibly a bit more efficient. One thing I found particularly interesting is that even though the Polks are considerably larger speakers, they just sound "smaller." The term boxy comes to mind. The Paradigms blend into the room effortlessly where as the Polk is easy to pinpoint with my eyes closed. 

For the special price offered on the Polks ($120/pr plus shipping), I'm sure they're tough to beat. For full retail ($640/pr) or even Fry's usual price ($400/pr), you can do much better. The Paradigm set retails for $399/pr and blows away most everything else in the price range (IMHO.) (I think the stands were another $150 or $200 though...)

Once I give the Polks some more time and let them break in, I'll try to post back with more info. Also, if I make any mods, I'll be sure to add that information as well.

Finally, if you bought a set of these as well, feel free to post your thoughts or complete review here.

-JP


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