Polk Audio is a renowned brand that has built a legacy in releasing premium speaker systems in America and beyond over the years. To that effect, if you’re an audiophile looking for surround sound systems, bookshelf speakers, tower speakers, center channels, or subwoofers for your home audio systems, Polk will be a haven for you.
Floor standing speakers, otherwise referred to as tower speakers, rest on the floor or an attached outrigger stand. Thanks to their adaptability and high-frequency response capability, the speakers deliver an impeccable music listening experience. Also, these speakers are an excellent choice for timbre-matching surround sound speakers, center channels, Bookshelf speakers, and Polk subwoofers in your home stereo.
Here, we shall be reviewing two floorstanding speaker systems that pride in a stellar performance and quality build; the Polk S60 vs S55 speakers. However, if you need a few pointers on Bookshelf speakers, our S15 vs S20 speakers review should be a must-read.
The Polk S55 is an excellent pick for audiophiles who need top-performing speakers at an affordable price. Their relatively small size means that you can place them in smaller rooms without worrying about the floor space they consume.
The Polk Signature S60 speakers, on the other hand, are a must-buy for audio fanatics looking for speakers that can perfectly handle even the deep lows without sounding muddy or distorted.
Here at Audiocurious, we’ll get into the finer details of each tower speaker to make you arrive at an informed decision on which tower speaker to purchase.
Polk S55 vs S60 Speakers General Specs Comparison
| Product Title | Polk Audio S55 | Polk Audio S60 |
| Recommended Amplifier Power | 20 – 200 watts | 20 – 200 watts |
| Frequency Response | 32 – 40000 Hz | 26 – 40000 Hz |
| Bi-Amp Capability | Present | Present |
| Cabinet Material | Non-resonant MDF | Non-resonant MDF |
| Weight | 44 pounds | 52 pounds |
| Dimensions | 41.5 x 8.5 x 12.5 inches | 44.5 x 11.7 x 15.7 inches |
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
| Power Port Technology | Present | Present |
Polk Audio Signature S55 Review
Polk Audio’s new redesigned speakers have a modern and futuristic look instead of the traditional roughened design of its competitors. As a first-time user, I’m sure you’re bubbling to know the features that make these floor standing speakers worth a pick. So, let’s get started.
Sleek Design
The Polk Signature S55 speaker has a sturdy, solid, and acoustically inert enclosure. You, therefore, don’t have to worry about audio coloration because this enclosure reduces unwanted internal standing waves. Additionally, the non-resonant meddite MDF build, thick baffles, and extra bracing on the subwoofer make sure you get a more life-like sound.
Internally, these signature series speakers have iconic-rounded edges and detailing, whose working concept is derived from some of the choicest acoustic guitars. This way, you end up getting a stylish and performance-oriented speaker that will lighten your living room. Lastly, the computer-modeled anti-diffraction magnetic grilles design makes your S55 speakers achieve a precise fit that reduces sonic interference.
Sound Quality
This washed black walnut Polk S55 speaker has dual 6.5 inches drivers and a 1-inch Terylene high-resolution dome tweeter. They deliver deep bass and produce crispy clear highs up to 40000 Hz for realistic reproduction of vocals and instruments.
There’s a Dynamic Balance Array technology that guarantees clean, full-range sounds as you enjoy your favorite music. So, if you’re planning to upgrade your home theater systems with an Atmos configuration, the Polk Audio S55 speaker will be a perfect pick for you.
And there’s more. The crossover array in these floorstanding speakers means that you can now enjoy music from every spot in your living room by providing a lifelike soundstage experience.
Patented Power Port Technology
The patented power port design in the S55 speakers smoothly transitions airflow between your speaker’s port and your listening room. This provides a much-extended surface area to minimize sound distortion and turbulence in your speakers. As a result, you get a sweet-sounding and more profound bass impact, perfect for TV, music, and movies.
Timbre-matched
Timbre-matched speakers have the same perceived sound quality for sound, musical note, or tone and the S55 isn’t an exception. It blends perfectly with other Polk center channels, bookshelf speakers, and tower speakers in your multi-channel systems.
For instance, you can have a 5.1 home theater system by blending the S55 floorstanding speaker, S15 bookshelf speaker, S35 center channel, and a Polk Audio PSW108 subwoofer.
Pros
- The five-way Gold-plated binding posts allow you to have a precise speaker connection.
- The dual-floor compatible feet boost bass coupling and stability to any type of floor (hard or carpeted floors).
- Reduced sonic interference and distortion
- Supports Hi-res audio files to give you an immersive listening experience
- The mica-reinforced polypropylene cones deliver increased dynamic midrange, deep lows, and better linearity.
- Great value for its price range
- Dynamic sound performance
Cons
- The highs may get overpowered by mid-range and low frequencies
Polk Audio Signature S60 Review
In 2016, Polk released the most prominent floorstanding speaker in the signature series family, the signature S60 speakers. Polk audio added some spice to these speakers to make sure they meet the highest performance standards- all this at an affordable cost. Other than its stylish look, the Polk S60 has a quality cabinet design that guarantees you get a top-performing speaker.
So, why choose S60?
Stunning Design
As previously mentioned, the Polk signature S60 tower speakers are stylish speakers that will command their presence in your living room. The cabinet of these floor-standing speakers uses a non-resonant MDF build, with thick baffles of 0.75 inches to produce a more life-like sound.
Also, the acoustically inert enclosure makes the speaker solid and minimizes unwanted internal standing waves that may otherwise lead to less audible coloration. One common rule about surviving competition in business is being different. And the Polk S60 did that by going for a uniquely-different and compelling cabinet design.
These speakers come with rounded top corners that set the speakers apart from hundreds of related products in the marketplace. The result of this is a product that brings some aesthetic vibe to your home theater system.
High Sensitivity & Maximum Compatibility
The S60 tower speakers work perfectly with most high-powered receivers or amplifiers to provide a clear, realistic, spacious, and enveloping sound reproduction. So, whether you’re planning to connect your speakers to a vintage rig or the latest digital processor, the Polk S60 has got you covered.
Audio Performance
The terylene dome tweeter is designed to produce crispy, clear highs to a peak of 40 kHz to achieve realism in vocals and instruments and achieve Hi-res audio performance. A dynamic balanced acoustic array ensures you get clean and full-range sounds.
Lastly, the crossover array eliminates that sweet spot in your room to give every location the same musical experience.
Pros
- Offers excellent value for its price range
- Able to reproduce deeper lows of upto 26 Hz
- Looks good., Sounds great!
- The power port technology helps to minimize distortion and sonic interference.
- It’s compatible with DTS and Dolby surround technologies
- It has stable dual feet to offer stability in hard and carpeted floors
Cons
- You incur an extra cost of buying two speakers because the speakers are sold as a single unit.
Polk S55 vs S60 Floorstanding Speakers: Final Verdict.
Choosing between Polk S55 and S60 floorstanding speakers can be challenging. But, it all comes down to “what is your budget?” vs “what sound quality are you looking for?” They are loaded with superb features that will make your listening experience worthy and entertaining.
However, The Polk Signature S55 series speakers guarantee more performance on the mid-range frequencies at a lower price. But, if you don’t mind paying a few more bucks for a speaker that delivers a stellar performance, be the proud owner of the S60 series speakers today and let these speakers put on a show for you.
The Polk Signature S55 series speakers are a perfect pick for audio purists looking for a speaker that delivers more on the mid-range frequencies for a lower price. On the other hand, the Polk signature S60 offers excellence in all the features it bags. The stellar performance, stylish design, and audio performance make these speakers irreplaceable.
