Polk Audio ES15 Review - Signature Elite Series
No two companies divide opinion in the audiophile world than Bose and Polk but are that really justified? Yes, both companies are guilty of using their name brand to curry favor with the general public. Yet, I have seen examples of both companies producing stellar products. Polk Audio with the Signature Elite ES15 we are reviewing today isn’t really going after the consumer.
They know that to be taken seriously in this price category they need to produce a good product. With so much information available and reviews like this just a few clicks away the speaker can’t get by with just a Polk logo up front. It needs to be good, it needs to stand out and it needs to convince purists that they are worth purchasing. How did they get on? Well, the results are surprising so read on to find out how they performed through our tests.
The Concept
The Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15 is a passive speaker meaning it has no power source of its own and will need to be driven by an external amplifier or receiver. It’s a bookshelf speaker which is compact enough to sit on shelves and desks or you can mount it to stands and walls depending on the space and style in the room in which you intend to use them.
Bookshelf speakers at this price (RRP $300) are very competitive with almost every audio company having one form or another. Big name brands have seen themself be squeezed by excellent value speakers from Edifier and others and are now fighting back and flexing their muscles. The ES15 boasts a stylish design, Dolby Atmos integration, and a few little technical tweaks that might make it appealing to budget audiophiles and cinema enthusiasts alike.
Polk doesn’t claim this to be a pure audio system and instead is positioning the line as a solid yet affordable home HiFi system that will work well setup with your television or hooked up to an amp.
Build + Aesthetic Impressions
They nailed the aesthetic with this one. I’m pleased to see that this is very easy on the eye design. It has a modern styling that does little to offend yet at the same time the use of curves on both the enclosure and front speaker mound add something charming and distinctive to them.
There are three color options to choose from Black, Walnut, and White. To me, white is the most striking and elegant. Usually, companies make the white version look so cheap and tacky but this cheap little speaker oozes class. I have installed a few of these systems (mostly wall mounted) and it baffles me that the clients never choose this option. Maybe it’s down to availability but if it was my money I would certainly be seeking out the white first.
The front features a unique-looking U plate into which the woofer and tweeter are mounted. It adds to the character of the units and the color coordination of the drivers is another nice touch. Both these factors combined with the terrible oversized Polk logo on the grills would lead me to leave them uncovered.
Build quality is fantastic. They feel like a really sturdy piece of kit that can easily compete on build with speakers double the price. The housing is made from sturdy MDF which is the norm and vinyl coated in the finish of your choice. There are no gaps, seams, or rough edges anywhere on the units I received and the quality control is a high standard.
The back of the ES15 you may notice has a distinctive rib pattern. This is more of a requirement than a style choice. Polk in their infinite wisdom has equipped the speakers with an in-built hanging solution that positively sucks. If the rib pattern was not on the back end the speaker would sit flush to the wall and thus block the bass port.
I don’t think you’ll find many other reviewers out there that actually bothered to test this but I can tell you hanging the speakers like this is nigh on dangerous and does negatively affect the sound as opposed to mounting them on a dedicated mount or stand.
The mounting system isn’t a reason to not buy the ES15, they tried something that for some will be convenient but for me using a swivel mount will allow you to give adequate spacing between the bass port and wall as well as direct the sound and optimizing the sound space.
Specifications
Dimensions: W-7.5" x H-12" x D10.2"
Tweeter: - 1" Terylene High-Res Dome
Woofer: - 5.25" Dynamic Balance Mica Reinforced Polypropylene DriverImpedance: 8 ohm
Max Sensitivity: (1 watt @ 1 meter)88dB
Power Per Channel: 20 watts - 100 watts
Crossover Frequency: 2500 Hz
Frequency Response: 48 Hz → 40,000 Hz
Sound
The sound was a delight but not in the sense of a pure audiophile experience. Polk has tuned this very well for the task at hand and they are a joy to use within those limitations. What are those limitations you ask? Well, I outlined them above in the concept section. Remember when I said Polk was not trying to make the ES15 a one-trick pony taking shots at the Hifi market?
It’s clear from their marketing they see the ES15 being used as a rounder, something made to play music and movies. Something designed to be part of the house that can take on a multi-role purpose.
If we are talking about pure audio here then at under $300 there is only going to ever be one speaker I point purists to, the Emotiva B1s with their ribbon tweeter. But the Emotiva just sounds too intense for sitting back with the wife or girlfriend and watching a movie. The sound from the ES15 is not as detailed (although it is still very detailed at this price) but it has a lushness and smoothness to it that seems to make it versatile and adaptable to any situation without any fuss or pushback.
It’s not sourced picky, in fact, I found it to be quite forgiving on even poorly mastered tracks. It plays well with a variety of genres and never fatigues. Part of that is to do with how they handled the highs, the Elite gives just enough pop but doesn’t become a chore to listen to. They sacrifice a little bit of sharpness and clarity for smoothness and that means I can listen to them longer.
The midrange is probably the strong point. The mids sound full and voluminous, far more than you would expect from a small 5-inch driver. Speed and technicals were very good and when you set them up correctly imaging in this area comes alive.
Bass is what you should expect. I would recommend using them with a subwoofer to bring them alive, especially when watching movies. It displays good speed and doesn’t deteriorate when used at high volume yet sub bass is limited by the volume of air they can move.
The sub-bass is punchy and resonates well with strong articulate decay but pairing it up with that sub just adds a different dimension as it usually does with most bookshelf speakers. A good pairing given the Atmos functionality is to use Polks own PSW10 subwoofer for extra punch at a low price.
Comparisons
There are two speakers that spring to mind when looking at alternatives to the Polk Audio ES15. The Q Acoustics 3020 we reviewed last year and the aforementioned Emotiva B1s ribbon speakers. Of course, this category is jam-packed with passive and active speakers and we will keep adding to this section in the future. Edifier is one brand to look out for and is offering some stunning value products right now.
Polk Audio ES15 vs Q Acoustics 3020
The 3020 are far more neutral when we test them next to the Polk, while they perform amazingly well as part of a Hifi system I found I missed a little of the lushness and room-filling quality of the Polk when watching movies. The Q acoustics are dryer and truer to source but that doesn’t work in all situations. I would also say the ES15 has a punchier low end and smoother treble.
Polk Audio ES15 vs Emotiva B1s
In my opinion, the Emotiva is by far and away the best value speaker for music at any price. Their cost is significantly less than the ES15 yet I often find I enjoy them every bit as much as my KEF LS50 Meta. The ribbon I thought was going to be a gimmick but the treble on these trumps everything else I heard in the category. But again it comes down to how you listen to your audio. Are you predominantly watching TV or listening to Music?
It’s such an important distinction to make and one you need to be honest in. The ES15 is simply the better all-rounder even if they don’t come close for me when it’s just pure listening I’m doing. I couldn’t fathom watching a movie with the B1s but I can see myself listening to music on the ES15. I suspect many people will tell you to get the Emotiva because of the cult following they have established but you need to buy the right tool for the job. For me I have a home audio system, I listen to the Emotiva purely for the music. If I had none and was making a first purchase that is to do multiple tasks I’m afraid it’s the ES15 that will get my dollar.
Positives
Smooth non-fatiguing sound
Works well in a variety of situations and with a variety of genres
Easy to drive to full power
Low distortion when pushing upper limits
Negatives
The hanger system is a bad design
Less detailed than the Emotiva B1’s
Not neutral sounding
Final thoughts
I think Polk has created a bit of a monster here. A speaker that so easily fits into most people’s lives, enhances their listening experience and does so at a very modest cost. They are easy to match with sources, are forgiving on poor audio masters, and punch well above their weight. Build quality and aesthetics get top marks for me, especially in the white colorway which looks stunning in person.
I can forgive the in-built hanger mount because it’s easy to use them with traditional wall mounts. The only thing I would say is to take your movies to another level and invest a little extra money in a subwoofer. All in this has to be one of the best speakers on the market right now for under $300. Certainly for me it’s the most versatile and easy to live with on a daily basis.
Official Website of the Polk Audio ES15: www.polkaudio.com
