TRANSPARENCY UPDATE: Sound United recently paid me for the time it took to create this video. To be clear, this is NOT a sponsored review. I did not get to keep the products. Payment did not arrive until WELL after the review went live. All thoughts and impressions in this review are genuine and are my own. Compensation from Sound United was due to the extremely short time-window I was given to review the Polk Audio R500 in time for their product launch. I had to postpone many personal and work events to make this happen, something I'm unwilling to do for free.

Welcome to my first RAVE review since 2019! Polk actually got their act together with this one. This means the R500 now joins the Triangle BRO3 as an affordable(ish) speaker that I can *broadly* recommend to people. Here are a few additional things worth mentioning: - My comments regarding the treble weren't 100% on the nose. According to the engineer, the rise in the high frequency response takes place above the Xover point, not directly at it. While this does *not* change how I feel people will experience the sound, it's still worth noting. - Please note that I have absolutely NO idea how the other speakers in the Reserve series perform. Cheap Audio Man reviewed the bookies, and New Record Day reviewed the larger towers. Check out their vids once you're done here! - Lastly, I hope those of you who try em' out enjoy them! That's always the litmus test to these rave reviews. If history repeats itself here though, then I'm confident that many of you will find them to be very special, even in this hotly contested segment of the market!

Whenever I hear someone say, "Polk sucks!", I laugh. I think that, for quite a long time, Polk lost their way but they have come a LONG way within the past few years. My L800 towers, L200 bookshelves and L400 center are absolutely remarkable...better than anything I've owned (including B&W Diamonds, Focals, SVS Ultra's, Klipsch and several more). Build quality is top-notch and the sound is sublime. To all the Polk haters out there...pull your heads from the history books and begin studying current events, instead ;) .

“Turbine waiting for bird strike”. 😄

Sean, I love the way you do your reviews. You really break things down into small digestible pieces. You do try to give us an idea of how the equipment really sounds and how it might be integrate into our systems. You do have a knack for telling us why a particular speaker/ component might be or not be what we're looking for. Keep up the good work brother 👍👍

Excellent review. The phrase you mentioned about grabbing music you don't often grab you had my attention. That is what I do when I find something interesting. Nice stuff as always.

This is one of your strongest reviews I’ve seen. A lot of us live for the comps. The comps are great and you go deep. Setup and matching info was perfect. And I appreciate not going deep on the back of the speaker and specs. If these speakers are as well done as this review, I’m all in on checking them out. Great work, Sean!

Wow... what a great review... loved the comparison section. Best review of these speakers I have seen so far.

14 months later virtually the same opinions on the new Polk Reserve Series were expressed on Andrew Robinson's channel, but instead with the R700's. Both Sean and Andrew are my favorite reviewers because, I believe, I can always count on them to provide a non-bias, subjective and honest reviews. Never do I ever feel with these 2 pro's that they have been paid off by the brands that they review. Once again I have to thank Sean for his channel and the service he provides to the 2 channel audio listeners that do not necessarily declare themselves to be audiophiles. I really love my 2 channel music listening. It provides me with hours of enjoyment each week. And I am comfortable to know that I may not completely understand specific performance and sound quality audiophile terms when Sean speaks, but then he give us the laymen interpretation of it all and then it all makes sense and It ultimately satisfies my interest in the product. Another job well done Sean. Thank you.

Thank you for another awesome review. I'm planning to buy some of the Reserve speakers but currently own Polk's Signatures. Shedding light on the comparisons between the two was exactly what I was looking for.

It's everywhere today, sounds like the speaker many of us were hoping for. It's just been so great the past few years for Hifi. Hope this never stops!

Thanks for the review Sean, I hope we get to hear your impressions on the R700's and the bookshelves too.

Great review, especially comparisons! Its much easier to understand how some speaker sounds when its compared *relatively* to some other models, than "absolute" descriptions that most reviews only do (which are actually relative to reviewers taste and preferences)

Wonderful review! Can't wait to hear them in person!

Shawn.... I like how your breaking your reviews into more sections and your covering everything, Awesome review and it really shows who's been doing Audio reviews for years.. Zero Fidelity... when you want real experienced advice, on where to spend your HiFi money! Great Job! keep it up Bro!

The hard lighting in the background really works! Almost looks like a cityscape. It's a hifi-scape!

Thanks Sean, after listening to all 4 reviews about this speaker line, your reviews are still the best if somebody wanted to buy a speaker blindly. I miss the fake end before the comparisons though.

Sean, great job. Damn, you are good at your job. Very credible, very valuable information and detail. Effective and usable. And lots of fun. So good! Keep up the fantastic work!

Nice to see that you are in a better place and excited about this speaker.

I really hope these will be available in Canada soon, Polk kind of forgot about us here in the North. I was planning on blowing these off but after that review they just moved up the list for auditions. Once again another great review Sean, Cheers and take care of yourself.

One in the handful of top reviewers. Great delivery. Reflective, pondering pros and cons ("as we can expect from the price" "it is what it is". Comparisons with other speakers, etc)

I’ve always had a bit of a crush on Polk speakers, nice to hear these are worthy.

Wow! Great review. I feel the excitement here and I love it. I'm still loving my T-50s (with sub of course). I wish I knew about these speakers before I committed to my Fluance XL8F towers and Caintuck open baffles. Still though, great to see that Polk is back in the game.

Love hearing your subjective thoughts on this set of speakers. And would definitely love to hear more of your subjective thoughts in future reviews. :)

Nice review, as always. You should do the bonus sections again, just because its a kind of trademark from you, which rounds everything perfectly.

All the KZfaq reviewers are getting different models of this Polk line. Excellent.

Wow, densely packed & informative! Great video... i wonder if i’d like this sound 🧐. I def love the look!

Nice review. While I am not in the market for speakers, it was interesting. What I should say about Polk is how smart they did with this series and sending different speakers of the same series to different youtube reviewers. Compare it to those who make 10 reviews of the same model and none of the other models in the same series and see how simple this could be!

Great job! Nice to see you back with this review. Your opinions generally line up with mine. I own Revel F36 speakers that I find to be too harsh for classic rock music or even playing other genres at higher volumes. It sounds like this speaker lines up with what I want to listen to. I’ve got classic McIntosh electronics from late 80s to pair..

I just bought a pair to replace a set of EVO 4.2s I just returned. They are as Sean described. Clear, articulate, warm midrange and great base. I was shocked to hear what they sounded like out of the box. They were all treble without a hint of base. I really thought something was wrong with them. I had to run a few errands, so I cranked up the AC/DC and left the house for a couple of hours. I was shocked to hear that I came home to a completely different speaker. Smooth, nice non fatiguing highs and solid base that seems to go lower than the specs. They sound even better after several more hours of listening. Great review Sean. I'm glad I bought them.

Hey Sean I really enjoyed your review it’s good to see you so enthused. I know the channel is called Zero Fidelity but that’s a real art house German expressionist film look you’ve gone for this time. Pretty cool 👍

Just bought one in Portugal after your review. Fantastic speaker.....

Nice review!

Great looking speaker Sean. Love that sleek look, and that textured matte finish. Not a fingerprint magnet! Great, friendly price point. I really like that it doesn’t take up a lot of real estate. Love your comment about good for all kinds of music. I am a music mutt, I listen to many genres.

Great review Sean! Your comparisons with the Evos, Boreas, and Klipsch products are very helpful in gaining a perspective on how these sound. I haven’t listened to Polks since the LSi15s (which I thought were thin sounding, with a lot of treble emphasis). Appears that these are very different and I’ll have to check them out.

Nice review , so refreshing to hear about a speaker you don't have to listen to only audiophile recorded music with to enjoy them. If you are a music lover and your tastes run all over the place it makes sense to me to stay away from overly bright sounding or too in your face forward mid range that is exciting at first but after a while you become fatigued and you don't just turn the volume down you end up turning the system off.

Still have my OG Polk Lsi 15 towers circa 2004... Still sound good to my ears... Glad they stuck with the ring radiator tweeter, that tweeter really struck me / captured me years ago & after auditioning lots of speakers at the time, ultimately made me get the LSi 15's over a decade ago. There was something special about them, hence the reason ive held onto them this long. This new incarnation from polk has certainly peaked my interest... Maybe it's time to check out what Polk has been up to lately. Thank You Zero Fidelity.

Great review. I'm a big fan of the classic, Matt Polk sound. Have the old Monitor 7s and 10s. Bass, good mids, smooth top end? Sign me up! I agree, Polk has been wandering around for a while now.

Yes! Equipment should NOT determine what is listened to! It should be the other way around. Thank you for articulating that! Makes me want to break out my old Kenwood mini system when just about everything sounded good on it.

Sean, your review on the EVO 4.2s was exactly what I experienced. So when I saw this review and it was about just relaxing and listening, I paid attention. I did get a set of R200s to replace a set of DBR 6.2s, which replaced Evo 4.1s, which replaced SVS Ultra BS, which replaced JBL 530s. I hooked the 200s up and the DBRs did not stand a chance. These Polks are so much fun, yet the soundstage is tremendous, the bass is deep tight and detailed, the highs and mids so clear and pleasant to your ears. The DBRs never even got a second chance. These polks are a steal at the sale price and the regular price. If your looking for a warm, detailed, sound staging monster, with kick ass bass, these are it. They will rock out or Sunday morning chilling. Thanks Sean, wonderful review. Maybe the 500s in future to replace some towers, enjoying the 200s too much for now!

Sick! I want to hear more about the r700, Polk stop being cheap and send this man the big boys! 😉

Hey Shawn, great review and appropriate comparisons. Is this the speaker review that you mentioned to keep a watch for about a month ago because they were sooo good?

Nice job dude! 👍🏽👍🏽

Hey Sean Great to see you reviewing Hat is back and having fun Hope all is well Take Care

Excellent review, Polk has been stepping up their game!

Interesting stuff. Also watched Ron and Randy's videos, and now I can't wait to find somewhere to give these a listen. I wonder how the big 3-ways stack up.

Thanks a lot for your videos. I really enjoy them. Will there be ever a review of the Dynaudio Confidence 20 (standing in the background). Would be awesome.

Thanks for the review. Great video ! Would these be OK to be driven by a Marantz SR6015, or paired with this receiver I would need an external amp ?

Nice Shawn. I follow you about having a speaker that does all genres with equal fun. So tired of finding a speaker I like then only later to discover that it doesn't do pop, or jazz, or what have you as well as other genres. Thanks

Great review. Just a question. You mentioned mostly your praise for the speaker for music taste. How about using it to create a home theater? Would you recommend this more or Klipsch new RP series?

Nice review! I hope they bring these speakers to Europe too!

Love it! Thank you for the honest review!

Thanks for the review. I was looking for a speaker to go with my new Yamaha 1200. I was going to order some Quad S2. They appear to be on backorder at most places. These JBL 570 are pretty good with it though. After checking out the reviews for this line I ordered a pair of the R200s to give it a try. From your review they sound like what I was looking for to go with this amp. I listen to a wide variety of music and the JBL are a bit on the party animal side.

Awesome...one day I'll owe those speakers

You put all in more coresponding with all and everithing in a system ....ore about taste. That makes you different then most of rewievers I know Realy good and honest yob. Thak you...👍😊

Great review

Helpful review.. thanks . Would the R700 review be on the cards at some point or is that set of stairs to far?

Wow, what the review! So much info on one take. Extra high quality of video. Drink slowly organic Sage infusion to take care of your voice our master reviewer.

Well My speaker limit was 1k. I might as well add a couple hundred more cuz these things look badassfor sure🔥🔥🔥

I saw these speakers at Nebraska Furniture Mart yesterday, and I've got to say I totally agree with your comments regarding their appearance-- they are impressive looking in person-- I loved that fine crinkle finish on these- really is unusual, but very classy looking. Another thing I was impressed with is the design of the grill-- I don't ever play speakers with grills on, but the way this is designed, the outer grill frame is perforated and also wraps around the curvature of the front baffle so it's possible the grill would have a minimal effect on the FR. I think this shows a lot of attention to detail. Unfortunately, I was not able to listen to them-- it's a noisy environment there with other people wanting to play their trash hip hop music, so a quality demo was not possible. But, I'll say this, if I was in the market for a classy looking, slim line, floor standing speaker, I'd be giving these a real serious look.

Hi, nice review..can I pair it with Emotiva BASXA3? Will these push enough power into the R500s?

Hey Zero! What subwoofer do you suggest for the Reserve? I have a 90’s Sony subwoofer.

Hey Sean, like you, glad to see Polk back in the game. The LSi M703 is available from several different vendors for $800 a pair. Any perspective on these vs the new R500s?

Sounds like a fun combo with the sprout 100.

Based on your review, am I correct in assuming that these may work well with a sprout100

How do these compare to the Uni-Fi 2.0’s? Which do you prefer?

In general is it fair to say pairing these speakers with a more 'relaxed' treble with an amp that emphasizes the treble range is "like'' using a tone control, albeit it is the amp that provides the tilt up in tweeter town? In this example, I assume the crossover or the voicing of the treble isn't changed but we get just "more" of it? Hope I asked that correctly.

Polk R700 looks so good omg

Trying to decide between the Polk Premier vs the Focal Chora for a home theater set up. What would you recommend?

I keep coming back to this review. It was a factor in my purchase of these speakers. And what I like about this review on review is that the weaknesses of the speaker are specified. "Are they right for you?" is the key to any review, and I find these speakers, after more than a year in the same apartment, to be a great fit for me. The weaknesses for me are in the treble. I used to listen to Vandersteen 2CEs, which in comparison are brighter. But the Vandersteens, at the right loudness, projected a three-dimensional image in front or between them. The Polks do not. The imaging is there but it is less sharp and is behind the speakers. There is less air around the lead instruments/voices. But, the benefit of this is that the sound is not at all fatiguing and is terrifically musical. I go to live shows fairly often. The sound I hear is so good, like nothing I've ever heard through hi-fi rigs--just the clarity and loudness alone cannot be replicated--and when I listen at home I connect with the instruments. Pianos sound like pianos--not in my room, but I hear the room they're recorded in. Drums, well-tuned and well-recorded, are fullly toned and have some punch. The hi-fi listening experience reminds me of the live event. I feel connected to the music, and I enjoy listening to my music collection on my stereo for longer sessions. So, in the apartment I live in, with my system set up in a 16' X 11.5' room, and the front baffle 4' away from front wall and over 2.5' from the nearest side wall, with nearly on-axis toe-in, I get good sound--I also have dual DefTech Pro800 subs. I have PS Audio M700s driving all, with an Oppo 105BDP and Linn Axis w/Sumiko Blue Point #2. (Maybe this picture helps: i.imgur.com/huYxlNE.jpg) So, Sean's review is accurate for me. These aren't perfect speakers, but their compromises work with my needs now. My experience auditioning speakers is that there are always compromises. These Polk R500s do a good job of presenting the music. When it's time to upgrade, I will look for something with a better high frequency response--but still warmer than brighter--and that, I expect, will be a difficult to find and will be an expensive upgrade. Thanks for this review, Sean.

Hello , thank you for your work; they seem to have a little cold sound nad amplifier like Onkyo a9130 or a9150 does not suite them, what do you think? thx

Hi Sean, I just brought R500.. I considering to match with Yamaha AS801, do you think it match well? Or any other amplifier to recommend to match this speaker? Budget less than $1k

Nice review! You mentioned they’re not picky when it comes to partnering equipment, but I’m wondering if they’d match with the XTZ Edge a2-300. Could be good, given the power of the XTZ and the slight warmth of the Polks... What do you think?

Sean, how's this speaker compare to triangle genese trio. I got trios based on your review and I am happy with them but also considering getting tower speakers.

thanks for the video! What about the differences between the reserve series and the s series? for example s50e vs r500? thanks!

Between Elac Debut Refrence, Triangle BR03 and the Polk Reserve R200, would you say the Polk have better bass? Cheers👍

Thank you for your review, Sean! I’m surprised someone hasn’t already asked this. Just wondering which speaker best matches your personal listening profile preference best, the Polk R500 or the Buchardt S400?

Damn it! I bought a pair of RTiA7's a few months ago. A pair of the R700's are my next project.

Sean How do these Compare to the Lsim 703 s. Or the Triangle Genese trio. Just Curious?

Thank you for your work. I was thinking to replace tannoy revolution xt8f by Polk r700. I wonder if it is worth

14: 26 -- can you explain how placing a solid base (cutting board you mentioned) attentuates the bass? I've never heard this before but would be interested in trying it. I struggle with placement and rear-ported speakers.

Very interesting, they might take my next purchase spot over the elac unifi uf52. I would probably like a little extra life in the sound over being unoffensive all rounder.

You also commented on the KLH Model 5. Thoughts on where this fits in comparison? Can these go toe to toe?

how about paradigm I own the 800 premiers thry r awesome any reviews you will be doing on them ?

Great review, Sean. I'm trying to decide between a pair of these matched with an SVS 3000 Micro or a set of the KLH Model 5s. Small-ish room, 11'x16'. I like bass, but wouldn't call myself a '"bass head". Will be driving with a Yamaha AS-701 for strictly 2 channel music listening. Thanks for your time!

Do you have any plans to review Magnepan LRS or any of their speakers?

I'm really enjoying the CX81, how would it match up with these?

Great review. Any chance you can do a review comparing it to the RTi A5? I know it’s an old speaker line but I feel they are still very relevant. Or perhaps a stand alone review of RTI A5 if you can get one.

Hey Sean, in your opinion given the R500's sound characteristics do you think they would sound good driven with the Emotiva BasX A-300? Also I really enjoyed this review. I always appreciate how thorough and detailed you are and whenever you share your more personal perspective, it's even better. 👍🏾

Hi Zero what about the r700, is it the same warm sound, and good with poor recording and play all kind of genres

Well, Totem sounds like what you describe :) and they're pretty slim. Nice review, keep it up.

Maybe you could review the R700. Thanks for a great review.

Nice review. Would love to see you review some Vandersteen 1Ci's which fall in that under $2k category.

Good afternoon. I'd like to know more about placing your speakers on cutting boards, particularly because I have the R700. If I were to employ this strategy, do I need to decouple the cutting boards from the floor (I have hardwood)? Thanks for your help!

Would you recommend this for home theater? How are movies?

Sean, you seem Happier... maybe 100% complete honesty, longer between videos and a X-Rated rant once in awhile is Good for your soul... Nice Review!!

Great comparison. Thanks for the review. How about this one compare to Emovita T1+.

Those look badass and one thing about the Polk is they have 'low end Torque' (Muscler scale ) on their entry level and up !

Hi! Do you have any plans on reviewing the Technics SU-G700 stereo amp?

Their speakers in the car game were the best speakers you could buy pound for pound for $1000. That ring radiator tweeter is usually the most expensive type of tweeter design too. It it's rare in home audio especially at this price. In car audio terms the reviewers said it gives you that 2 thousand 3 sound dollar sound because these tweeters were used in the top Rockford speakers, alpine f1 speakers as well as a few more top car speakers brands. With the car I suppose speaker brands have the luxury of not having to worry about the cabinet so much.