Polk S20 Review - Just when I thought I was out they pulled me back in!
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- čas přidán 12. 09. 2024
- I have not been kind to Polk in previous reviews but that ends now. Let's take a look at this formidable bookshelf speaker from Polk.
Polk S20 amzn.to/37KDWm0
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music.amazon.c...
High Res Music Streaming for FREE!!!!
Amazon Music Unlimited Free Trial (For HD, Scroll to the bottom of the linked page and select “Try HD” amzn.to/3fiiMPC
![[TAS] SNES Castlevania: Dracula X "best ending" by McBobX in 13:48.34](/img/n.gif)
Speaker reviews need more King Nothing. Your speaker reviews are so much more useful to people then the audiophile snobbery.
Thanks so much. Just trying to keep it real. Some products I get in and listen and then look at other reviews of the product and it's almost like they never even listened to them.
Don't change to much. Your original content and the way you present it is why I started watching . Keep original
Totally agree with this. There's a reason for the quick rise to 'stardom'! Keep it fresh.
???
I don't get it when people criticize the presenter "who cares?". You do what you do or how you look or if your having coffee or water...I'm one of those that overlook those things and focus on what your talking about...Your doing great and keep up the fine videos...
Thank you, sir
Glad to hear this positive review about Polk. Really, I don't think anyone wants to hear that speakers can't be good enough to recommend. And by that I don't mean in the way of "everyone gets a participation trophy," but that it's great when speakers (or any sort of product) are genuinely good enough to enjoy and recommend for whatever reasons it may be.
Screw them! Do you! I love how you do your videos!
Don’t quite know how to respond to that but thanks?
Slurping coffee, bondage posters from a concert, cheap quality audio equipment. I'm hooked. Keep up the great work, Sir. 👍😂
I like the coffee sound bro. Keeps it real.
Yo LOL 😆 ... I LIKE THIS GUY 👍🏾 slowly becoming my new fav 😁 organic and off script 💯✔️
Your reviews are Honest which is why your number of subscribers has grown so quickly. We value your opinion! Your not unkind. So go ahead and drink your coffee. We ain't going no where....
"You're"..... You wouldn't know I was raised by an English teacher.
@@ginom407 :-)))
You had me at unprepared.
Excellent review. I own these speakers and was amazed how good they are for not much money. I own speakers that cost five times as much but keep going back to these. I actually bought them because they looked cool, dumb reason to buy a speaker, but glad I did.
How much did you pay for them
@@MasterManWithThePlan on sale for 220. Canadian$.
I also have a set of S20s since 2017 and enjoying them with Sugden A21Signature amplifiers. They sound fantastic together for my music taste. I love what I hear. I enjoyed watching your video and you enjoy your coffee!
Bought two pairs of these and using three for LCR in my home theater. Of course, I have an extra speaker now and not sure what to do with it. They’re crossed over at 80Hz with lower frequencies sent to a pair of RSL subwoofers. I tested many LCR identical speakers and nothing came close to these in how well they perform. Everything just sounds perfectly balanced and clear at all volumes. Cranked them up to reference level recently on Dune (2022) and couldn’t be happier with how wonderful they sound, even off axis, which is important when a few people are over to watch a movie.
How do you like that RSL subwoofer?
@@lloydhudson9032 They’re excellent and go deep enough for my tastes. I haven’t tried anything more expensive, but have read numerous reviews saying they punch above their price point. After getting them on sets of SVS subwoofer feet their performance increased. The bass tightened and objects in my room stopped vibrating. Not cheap feet but worth it to me.
I had my eye on the s20's for a long time, but had given up on them after seeing yours, and others, reviews of the s10 and s15 that weren't that great. Thanks for renewing my interested in these. I like the large size, not a problem in my set up. $270 a pair - ridiculous value! How does the tweeter compare to the Rti A3? The A3 can be bright occasionally .
After auditioning speakers from KEF Q100, Triangle Borea BR03, and the Q Acoustics 3030i...I ended up trying the Polk A20's and absolutely love them! They are matched with an Emotiva ta-100 and wow...what a combination! Found a Dayton 12" sub on Parts Express and dialed in around 50hZ. Very happy!
You could say that s20 are better than Q acoustics 3030i??
They are high res certified, the power port is worth mentioning, it also has decent internal bracing. I would say the same, yes the mid going into the high range seems a bit veiled. They are super easy to drive though and the bass is very good, due to the power port. The are good for movies, synth, ambient music, classical, anything where the little details that are always too quiet. They seem like they're designed for dialogue in movies.
Wow! Polk redemption! Great to hear. Can't believe the stark difference between these and the S15's. I love seeing the background with all the stereo gear around you. Also, huge congrats on reaching 1k subs. It's because you are awesome and people know it! Keep kicking arse! Hope you review the Node 2i soon! More streamers out there than anything else and WE are the ones watching your wonderful reviews! God bless and happy holidays!
BULLSHIT 🤥REVIEWs I have the s15 & s20 saund the same I little y bass everything else is the same
Thanks for the very honest review and informative content. I just bought a pair of polk s20 and they sound is super smooth and they pack a heavy punch. They sound like a tower speaker jammed into a bookshelf speaker. Very good channel 😊
did you have a subwoofer along with these pair? and may I ask what is your amp? thanks!
yes i have an onkyo NR 676, my sub is really weak and is 50 watts, most of the medium base is handled by these pair and only the very low is done by the sub@@nickp6987
I just got the S55's really like them, well balanced, slightly bright, lot's of presence and it has tons of clean bass when the media calls for it- IIRC it will hit 33hz- downward fired as well- it will shake the room. (I got them running on a Cheaper Sony DH-790 145W receiver)
Got them for $160 a piece.
They sound perfect with the Jamos 803's in the back channel.
$160 a piece! Jesus christ i just paid $349 a piece 3 days ago
Where did you buy them at?
@@MrGambino13 Direct from Polk, but only the white ones were on sale.
You got a good deal. I paid $500 for a pair couple of years ago. Enjoy them!
I have the S20 slaved to a Yamaha A-301S integrated amp & a Polk PSW110 powered sub in a 2.0 system. Awesome sounding! Beautiful imaging & great clarity. Absolutely wonderful.
i have the polk s20 to with cambridge receiver axr-100 sound and imaging are so good the polk s20 is a very good speaker excellent.
@@mark17840 I was interested in getting that same setup! Do you think they would need a sub ?
@@danielacosta1998 yes you will need a subwoofer if you want to use 1or two
Coffee is real, coffee is life. Long live the sound of real coffee!!!!
Seriously people? you had issues with his Metallica poster that clearly has Metallica at the top? you had issues with him drinking coffee? friggin snowflakes, if ya don't like it, don't get angry, just go away. Keep up the great work Randy! Been watching lots of your vids and they are always educational and helpful
If you get angry at other people's comments, just go away. Friggin snowflake.
There is nothing wrong with tying women up every once in a while . It’s good for morale.
Unbelievable 😂 what's wrong with people these days
You're literally angry in your comment about others being angry
@@AndrewB23That’s how I see it. And the whole “snowflake” thing is sooooooo
old. lol. Usually, it tends to apply to the person who says it.
I use them for my PC music and games when not on headphones. They're set up angled to me from stands... and I couldn't be happier.. got the s20's and their the best I have owned. I won't claim to be an audiophile, but I am in that territory that says I'm not a Novice either... I don't honestly know what I would replace them with if I didn't want to spend a lot more... But it begs the question... why upgrade when they sound so good to me... I am surprised at how well they handle at low volumes while still feeling so tight. It's like the woofer doesn't even move but you can hear all lows, mids and highs just great... and like you said, at high volumes they can just take it.. I don't play them loud unless I'm not standing at my PC. Great video, I think you're pretty much spot on.
GR Research actually said Polk did a good job on the crossover and speakers as a whole! I like your reviews keep it real!!
This guys intros are so damn funny .. Keep up the good work... You got a new fan this week.
Thanks a lot, I really love your reviews :)
Am hesitating between the Wharfedale 12.1/12.2s and these ones or the newer Polk ES20s.
Am wondering which ones do you prefer please? Cheers
I liked the coffee sounds it makes it very working class relatable , happy new year
Jbl Studio 230. Great speakers in my opinion, which go for $199 on jbl very often.
I’ll check them out.
Thank You for your videos. They are so funny yet so informative. After watching this video I started looking for these speakers and got a pair brand new at half price. They kick ass. Thanks again for the recommendation
they are brutes and can still be audiophile at the same time. great choice
I will listen to you half an hour whatever the topic is. My favorite new channel.
Dude have another beer 🍺 nice review
I had polk speakers back in the 1980s brings back memories.
I have these s20, s55 & the s35 love them.
Enjoyed review. Was on the fence re: S20's but not now. Planning on pairing with the Marantz PM 8006 Int. Amp. thank for the review....
I have owned my S20's for a few years now and have been happy with them, paired up with a set of S55 towers with 4"x2 woofers, I do like the S20's more, and they are all pumped up by a Marantz PM5005 integrated preamp with records spun up on a Sansui SR838 I got on the cheap and slapped a Grado Red on it. For my purposes it all suits my listening needs.
Many, many thanks for this review and for the one comparing the S20 to the Elac, et al. The "punches you in the face" comment made me want to find out just how hard. They did just that, and I'm still recovering (S20 + S10 + Kanto 8 sub, Cambridge Audio CXA61 amp). How great is it to hear new details in music form the late 1960s!
Another great review and video, good job making me forget about other stuff for awhile!
So you were asking for sub $300 speakers for review, I'd like to nominate Jamo Concert 9 Series C 91 II, only because I bought their bigger brother awhile ago and I really like them. The 91s are on sale for $300 now, I got my 93s for $350 about 6 months ago and I'm definitely happy with them, especially at that price. I obviously don't know how the 2 would compare, or how they might compare to your other sub $300 guys, but that's my vote, thanks again!
Polk audio RTi series vs Signature series, which is better... For example RTi A9 or Signature S60... Please reply me...
I bought the Polk LsiM 5.0 set when Adorama was blowing them out last year. 707 towers, 706 center, and their big surrounds. Beautiful speakers but i was totally underwhelmed. First powered by Crown 1502 then changed to Crown class AB amps then Parasound A51. With the amp changes they got incrementally better but still didnt do anything for me. i think your term "unremarkable" fits pretty well. i never opened these up but it sounds to me each speaker has 50 crossover parts to achieve a flat response. The sound seemed choked off with no real dynamics or excitemnt no matter how much power i applied. They are enormous and gorgeous though.
I picked up a set of Klipsch 8000F towers and 504C center and dayum! That's it! May not be a flat response but the fun factor is back!
Interesting. This is the first thoroughly explained critique of the LSiM line. Everything I see especially about the 707's seem to be nothing but glowing. This as of now has been my top candidate to replace my Polk s60s as well as the other LSiM products for the other channels. I'm going to have to continue to dig a little deeper into this. My other thought was the Polk legend series but those towers are too wide for my space constraints.
I totally agree with your comment. Absolutely no instrument separation, everything sounded muddy. Cheap Micca MB42x sounded way better!
I went to the Metallica Guns and Roses concert my mom brought me when I was 13 am 38 now 25 years ago at the Boston Garden
Gonna order these as soon as I send these other bookshelf speakers back. Wont type any brands because Im not like that. Hopefully they mesh well with my T30 center and T15 surrounds. SVS PB-1000 subwoofer. Denon AVR-S730H receiver. I dont have a dedicated stereo receiver.....yet. But I will continue to check out some of your videos and see what I can come up with. Thanks, brother!!!!
Awesome Video. I just stubbled on your channel and I'm enjoying your attitude / humor.
Of the Polks I've owned, they have all scaled well with better electronics. An example would be the LS90s driven by a Parasound 2250v2 and new classic 200 preamp. The Polk reserve series are next in line.
I just picked these up for $200 new. What a steal. Will these work as near field speakers? If not I can always move them back a bit.
Wharfedale diamond 11.2
I have them, I like them. No one talks about them.
Warm sound, fun sound. I run it of a rega brio amp with a dragonfly red. The dragon fly red makes it a bit faster and makes the intro for money for nothin awesome.
Think this would be a great one to review.
That or the new Diamond 12 would definitely be a good one.
11.2's on their way. Just ordered them.
Just found them “open box deal” $199 at Audiolab. They are on the way. I’m just getting back into stereos after a few years of little bluetooth phone speakers. OMG I missed the sound! I have old Klipsch speakers with no model numbers on them and wanted something more clear. I tried the SSCS5s but even at mid volume I can hear the woofer farting. They’re going back. These sound like exactly what I’m looking for. I watched a bunch of your videos to figure it out. Glad I found you.
Thank you for reviewing this product. I'm confused about choosing between this product and the Swans HiVi D100 2.0 Professional Ribbon Tweeter. Is the polk s20 still better than the swans D100?
@ 2:20 in I’m fascinated, whilst very little has been said about these phenomenal speakers. 😋
Korn yes. But the sound also depends on production of music
Absolutely loving your videos!
Jajaja
Would love to see you revisit these now that you have a lot more speakers under your belt Randy.
I actually just sent out these to a viewer. Solid speaker though.
cheapaudioman just re-watched one of your Saturday speaker shootouts where you compared these to the elacs and Cambridge audios. Good info in that and all your vids. Appreciate you brother.
@@cheapaudioman debating between these or JBL a130 thoughts?
Definitely go with the Cambridge Audio SX-60 with 6 inch woofer. If you are still reviewing 5 inch woofer bookshelf, Jamo S803 and JBL Stage A130.
think I can get the Jamos in. Waiting on a refund from amazon and then I'm going to pick those up.
@@cheapaudioman I'm skeptical that the base model Jamos will sound good. But may be worth the price. Very affordable. Check out the JBLs too. So many positive reviews. I won't comment on it's pros and cons. I have a huge list for $500 and under bookshelf if you get to those haha
Hi Randy. Can I get good sound from the S20's with the Sony STRDH190 Receiver?
Could you try the Polk TSi-200 from Crutchfield? Thanks
Have you had a chance to check out the newer ES20? I know you have tried the ES15, but I find it interesting that the new ES20 are only rated down to 44 hz, but they are supposed to be an upgrade over the S20? (39hz)
Looking at a budget system considering these or the Elac b6.2. I have a sleeper amp -Harmon/Hardin HK505 from 1979 I believe 60 watts “twin power” wondering if these s20’s would pair well .. I listen to a lot of Jazz and funk vinyl. I love the look of these as well . I want to avoid boomy bass.. and sub just a nice 2 Chanel set up. Current running Bose 901 series v but sound always need adjustment and placement is a pain for my smaller space
Hi Randy, quick quastion, u recomand these or jamo s803? Or maybe something else up to 250-300? Unfortunetley i live in Europe (Poland) and its hard or too expensive to get some others speeakers from your chanel. I'm planing to put them with Aiyima DO5 Amp in near future. if u have some time to replay for my quastiom that'll be grate. Oh and maybe Emotiva B1+.? Thansk Buddy.
Great review. I was all set to purchase the
Jamo C 93 II speakers because you spoke so highly of them and they have a high spousal approval factor, but now I'm torn. The Polk or the Jamo? How do they compare? Can ya help I guy out? Really anybody?
man that intro you have is just amazing, the bass the treble everything in it is so good, i feel it brings the best in my speakers, do you have a longer version of it, is it possible to listen to it ??
That is so funny you like that. It's literally the stock music included with the Microsoft photo app video maker.
I was wondering about the poster. Thanks for the review,
I have a pair that is still in the box waiting to set up my system andd thanks for the review.
@cheapaudioman. Would you consider a Rotel RB-50 to an amp that can improve the midrange resolution of these Polks? Its a pretty straightforward in its output and sound treatment. Honest. If buy them to be a mild upgrade to my Wharfedale Diamond 10.2--I can't belive Im even contemplating it, but I can't help it.
Gracias por las especificaciones, me ayudo a comprarlas. Tengo las S20 con un NAD T760. Saludos desde Perú.
hi Randy, i know you can only get an approximation of an ambient setting on sound reviews, but sound comparisons done with good mic set up can reveal differences without audio altering between different speakers. so in your listening to these, have you been able to cut out the peaking at the upper bass range, it seems to stick out so much in all the reviews i've listened to. and of course no one but no one listens in a perfect ambient setup. so to me its an indicator that they may have sacrificed some crucial lower mid warmth and clarity in the vocal range to emphasise the upper bass roundness where you miss the scrapes, ringing and fingering etc so round-wound strings will sound like semi flat-wound if you catch my drift. whereas the s20e seems to have over compensated this issue and produces unsubtle lower mid and sacrifices the upper bass, great for the vocals but loses warmth. you'd think these guys could get the subtlety right, surely or is this purely down to placement. in all instances the cabs have been way away from any walls. can it be rectified in placement or on-speaker? its probably a crossover issue.
or is it the volume issue you mentioned? i only want to hear these close to at lowish volume 50w amp and about 3-4 feet away.
Another Great review , get ur coffee back ! Part of what makes you -you. Just adds that touch of relaxation and kick back vibe you have.
I am about to get a vintage Yamaha CR-800 receiver ... as I sell the Pianocraft-system I plan to use the S20E's on it, even I was told new speakers don't match vintage gear ( something about most new speakers are meant for .1 systems 🤨, but I don't think the S20E's lack bass ), still will give it a try ...
Hi Randy, have you tried this S20 with Fosi BT20A? And how did it go? Thanks.
I ended up buying the ES15, the 20 unfortunately wouldn't fit in my bookshelf, happy with the sound! Compared them to wharferdale and q accoustic~ great value!
I watched the whole video in 2x speed and then sounded normal to me 😁
apreciate all you say about the speakers, i am a audiofile and totally agree with you, what is your opinion about making a fun comparison to a audio pro speakers which i think they really havve grat balance, keep it fun
How about something from Fluance for the shootout? I’m concerned their price is lower than other speakers and that might correlated to performance, but heard they punch above their weight?
Randy, love your videos. Please help me decide between these Polk s20 with s30 center or Fluance reference xl8f's with matching speakers for home theater usage? Please help me decide I am going crazy trying to decide lol. Thank you, cheers to you!
If you could only pick one set, which is better, the Polk S20 or the Emotiva B1+?
Hmmm. I'm getting mixed signals from you on this review. On the one hand you say these speakers "doesn't do anything outstanding", but then you go on to say they were "unremarkable, until now". I actually have these (well, two ES20s) as my rear-stage speakers, with my ES60s and ES35 as my LRC speakers. Have you already provided a review on the ES (Signature Elite) series??
Curious about something @cheapaudioman....I bought a pair of these with the S35 center channel, replacing my Andrew Jones Dolby Atmos speakers front stage setup - now Im thinking about my rear speaker setup and considering either another pair of S20's for the rear or a pair of S15's in front and moving the S20's to the rear.......are the Signature Elites worth the expense to upgrade?
Good Review. I have a pair of the S20's sitting on top of my Polk S60's. Talk about a wall of sound.
Great Review...... i have a set ordered.....👍👍👍👍 Polk 20s
Is this good for small rooms? Also is the sound signature laidback(warm) compared to the elac b6.2?
This will work in small rooms but will really also work in large rooms. I wouldn't call this speaker laid back but I feel like it has more bass than the Elacs.
@@cheapaudioman Oh cool can't wait for your upcoming video battle. It's so hard to choose the right speakers since all these guys have the same price range.
Would these speakers match better with a Yamaha or Cambridge Audio amp. I'm thinking you would say Yamaha as they tend to be "brighter".
Hi, I would like to get a pair of Polk S20 recently, they cost $500(in USD) where I am.... Do you think it's still worth it? Or do you think there could be better options for me at this price? Also have you heard any Edifier speakers?(like R2750DB)
I think the could be ideal for smsl vmv a1 class A amp!!!!!!! Good review Randy !!!
This is really helpful. Thank you so much!
Thank you, great review and made me to go for es20 over es15 or Sony sscs5.
Do you have any wall brackets that are adjustable for this speaker you would recommend? I need to set them high then point them down and towards the center of the room too.
I have these & The s15 they sound good together
I was somewhat disappointed with the polk monitor 70's when I purchased them until I connected them to a Crown amp. They really open up when powered properly and sound wonderful now.
Great review! I have a set of S20s and love them. Due to a potential change in my home theater setup I was thinking about swapping them out for a set of S50s. The S50 shares the same 5-1/4" driver as the S15 which you hated so now I'm a bit nervous about them (Even if it splits sound across two drivers and has a different cabinet design). Any chance we'll see an S50 review in the future? Keep up the good work!
go to Crutchfield read last review
the guy says if you bi wire the s50 and use 125 watt amp they sound amazing I guess just ordered some used ones off of Amazon
Hey, I liked the coffee sounds just sayin'...I agree with you regarding Polk, their older model stuff like the RT55's and speakers from that era seem to have better sound, I have a friend who swears by them, in fact they are his go to speakers...guess it's all a matter of opinion which is what makes this hobby so fun! I've got a pair of these S20's and like the ELAC's I wasn't real impressed with them at first, however I did run them with my Cambridge Audio Azur 540a and they really shined nicely. The bass felt a bit enhanced at first but they seemed to settle down after a few hours of working them out. I'd like to see your thoughts on the Wharfedale Diamond 225's...I've actually been thinking of pulling the trigger on a pair of those, I've heard great things about them anyway. As always, great review love it! Look forward to the 6.5 Speaker Shootout!
I don't have the Wharfedale 225's but do have the Diamond 11.2's coming in.
What is an affordable amp that I can connect to my Sony STRDH 790 to power these speakers? Your recommendation matters a lot! You do pretty awesome I like what you do and your voice and everything is very funny and entertaining keep up the great work
Richard, I'm a little confused. The Sony 790 should power these just fine on their own. I also don't think that receiver has a premap out so I'd just connect these directly to your front channels.
@@cheapaudioman perfect thank you very much
integrated 225 $3500. Speakers $725 Cheesus
Ok, I try to remind Korn and MTV unplugged when I get them and the 127€ Yamaha Pianocraft 810 I got from ebay ... but I heard the european ones, S20E, are slightly different in sound.
I was slightly worried after your S15 review.
Hope the S50E and S10E are useable for my main music/hometheater-system of cheap, used bought bits.
Thanks for the honesty!
Would you buy these or the Dali Spektor 2
Thank you bro! Just to be clear, these Polks would NOT be in your top three at 300ish or under?
I think they do well against other 6.5" woofers in the price range. The problem is that there are an awful lot of 5"ish woofers in this price range that I think do some things better. However, with that said, these play much louder than the 5" and can hold their own without a sub. I'm doing the sub $300 6.5" shootout this weekend. It depends on what you are looking for. As far as a balanced speaker that can blow the doors off this thing is it. From the standpoint of soundstaging and imaging there are better and even cheaper options in the 5" like the Emotiva B1+, the KEF's Q150's, and the Q Accoustics 3020. But the Polks wipe the floor with them for displacement and the ability to fill a large room. These are basically a tower that sounds pretty good.
@@cheapaudioman Thank you very much for taking the time to reply!! And thank you for sharing your experience and opinion.
Have you had a chance to check out the ES20?
Do the Polk tweeters still melt at moderately high volume?
These vs jamo c93ii? What would you buy?
Hi! Would it be better to get these with polk audio hst10 Sub than pair of polk audio signature elite s60?
When I was on market for on the stand speakers the Polks were in my short list.Great and versatile speakers. Given the folks that buy budget speakers pair them commonly with cheap integrated amp or even AV Receivers how this budget speaker sound when hooked to that kind of gear should be informative for the eventual buyers. Congrats to cheapaudioman for the reviews of gear that music lover Joe can afford. PS Damn that poster is totally not music related.
More poster comments... It's a Metallica poster. Very musical. It's the lady from And Justice for All. I've got a lot of comments on the poster.
This polk💪 is better than the klipsch 600m
@@cheapaudioman In the video post i could see only the bottom half and it looked a bit weird . Not familiar with the album though.
What about definitive technology speakers? Will u be doing reviews about them too?
I have some Def Techs for surrounds. They're pricing model just seems a bit out of whack for me. They don't seem like a good value compared to their peers. They are good but I just think their pricing structure is not inline with their competition.
It appears I can get these on Amazon for $200. Is there another speaker I should consider for $200 over these?
i bought this speaker today and i am wondering if they play with my smsl sa300. Could you tell me what do tou think ?