Floor-standing speakers are one of the most sought-after speaker designs when it comes to home entertainment devices. Usually, these speakers are also full-range speakers, which is why they have one of the best sound qualities compared to other designs. These speakers are the complete package as they can simultaneously produce low, mids, and highs which is great compared to a bookshelf speaker such as the Polk S15 or S20.
Polk is known for manufacturing excellent speakers and is now offering the top two of their Signature Series line, the Polk S55 and the Polk S60. Determining which is the better floor-standing speaker between the two can be a head-scratcher, so we are here to help you make the right decision by giving you a side-by-side comparison of the two products.
Sound Quality
Polk S55
The Polk S55 is a top-level floor-standing speaker under the Polk’s Signature Series. The floor-standing speaker is equipped with a 1-inch dome tweeter and two 6.5-inch mid-bass drivers.
Audio Specification of the Polk S55:
| Polk S55 | Specifications |
| Type | Passive |
| Driver | 1” Terylene Tweeter6.5” Polypropylene Woofer (2 pcs.) |
| Frequency Response | 32 Hz to 40 kHz |
| Impedance | 8 Ohms |
| Crossover | 2.5 kHz |
| Sensitivity | 90 dB |
| Recommended Amplifier Power | 20 to 200 W |
It features a Dynamic Balance Acoustic Array technology patented by Polk to ensure that the speaker produces a full-range sound with excellent clarity. The technology analyzes what the speaker needs and points out all the necessary adjustments to improve the speaker’s performance up to its potential.
The speaker has a frequency response of 32 Hz up to 40 kHz, which is excellent for watching movies and listening to music. Its wide frequency range helps the floor-standing speaker produce a natural sound without distortion. Its bass can go down to 32 Hz, which is impressive for a standing floor-standing speaker.
One of the best things about this speaker is that it can produce very high frequencies with clarity and accuracy. Its mid and bass response is also one of the best for top-level floor-standing speakers. Its low-frequency response is boomy and deep, while its mids are articulate and perfect for vocal purposes.
Overall, the Polk S55 is one of the best floor-standing speakers when it comes to sound quality. There is no wonder that this speaker is one of the top-level speakers of Polk. Its performance in watching movies and listening to music is near-perfect.
Polk S60
The Polk S60 is the flagship floor-standing speaker under the Polk’s Signature Series. The floor-standing speaker has three pieces of 6.5-inch Polypropylene mid-bass drivers and a 1-inch dome tweeter.
Audio Specification of the Polk S60:
| Polk S60 | Specifications |
| Type | Passive |
| Driver | 1” Terylene Tweeter6.5” Polypropylene Woofer (3 pcs.) |
| Frequency Response | 26 Hz to 40 kHz |
| Impedance | 8 Ohms |
| Crossover | 2.5 kHz |
| Sensitivity | 90 dB |
| Recommended Amplifier Power | 20 to 300 W |
This speaker is full range, which is why it has a frequency response of 26 Hz up to 40 kHz, perfect for watching TV and movies or listening to music. Its four drivers are in a cascading tapered crossover array, eliminating the speaker’s sweet spot, resulting in a better listening experience anywhere in the room.
The tweeter is perfect for producing highly detailed treble, and its mid-bass woofers mix well with each other. The speaker is compatible with Dolby and DTS surround sound technologies, so there is no problem when you are listening to a high-quality audio format.
Overall, the Polk S60 is one of the best flagship floor-standing speakers available in the market. Its sound quality is top-notch, which is what you expect from a top-of-the-line floor-standing speaker. The price point of this speaker is a steal for its value.
Build Quality
Polk S55
The Polk S55 is the second-largest floor-standing speaker under the Polk’s Signature Series. It is a little bit tall and heavy, but it is a stable floor-standing speaker with its dual-floor compatible feet, perfect for either carpeted or hard floors.
Build Specifications of the Polk S55:
| Polk S55 | Specifications |
| Dimensions | 29.7 x 105.4 x 31.8 cm (11.7 x 41.5 x 12.5”) |
| Weight | 20.0 kg (44.0 lb) |
| Cabinet Material | Medium Density Fiberboard |
The speaker’s cabinet is made of medium-density fiberboard, which is a standard material in the audio industry for making speaker cabinets. The speaker has an acoustically inert design that reduces the effects of vibrations, resulting in less colored sound quality.
The speaker has a 1-inch dome tweeter made of Terylene, a synthetic polyester fiber, similar to other Polk speakers under the Signature Series. It is known for its clear and detailed high frequencies. Its woofer is made of high-quality components like the mica-reinforced Polypropylene cones, which enhance the speaker’s performance, especially on the mids and bass.
Like the other speakers under the Polk’s Signature Series, this speaker also uses the patented “Power Port” technology that enables the smooth airflow transition into your listening area. The technology also helps in eliminating distortion and turbulence, resulting in a deep bass sound.
The floor-standing speaker has beautiful aesthetics because of its height, and it is available in either walnut, black or white finishes. It has a removable magnetic grill, so you choose whether you cover your speakers using it or just let it be exposed. Either way, it looks excellent for a top-level floor-standing speaker.
Overall, the build quality of the Polk S55 is exceptional. The floor-standing speaker is stable and durable, so it does not easily topple. Its design is impressive as it does only look great on the outside, but its internal design maximizes’ the speaker’s maximum potential.
Polk S60
As the flagship floor-standing speaker under the Polk’s Signature Series, the Polk S60 is also the largest speaker in the product line. The excellent build quality can be seen in just one look at the speaker. It is very durable and can last for a long time.
Build Specifications of the Polk S60:
| Polk S60 | Specifications |
| Dimensions | 29.7 x 113 x 39.9 cm (11.7 x 44.5 x 15.7”) |
| Weight | 23.6 kg (52.0 lb) |
| Cabinet Material | Meddite MDF |
The speaker’s cabinet is made from Medite MDF, a pretty durable material, and has been a quality standard for speakers’ cabinets in the audio industry for a long time. The speaker has extra bracings for additional stability.
The speaker has an acoustically inert enclosure design to minimize the coloration of the sound from the vibrations of the speaker. Its Terylene dome tweeter and Polypropylene drivers help the speaker produce high-quality sound with no concerns about their durability.
The “Power Port” technology applied in this speaker gives an additional 3dB more bass response to the speaker, resulting in a more profound low-frequency production without any distortion.
The speaker has curve edges which give it a modern American style. The speaker is available in three finishes: white, black, or walnut. It comes with an anti-diffraction magnetic grille that is removable, so you can let your speakers be exposed or cover them with the grill.
Overall, the build quality of the Polk S60 is exceptional. The speaker is built to last for a very long time and is very stable. Its aesthetics is outstanding and is very attractive to look at, especially when the grill is attached to the speaker.
Controls
Polk S55
As a passive speaker, the Polk S55 has limited control options as it has only a passive crossover and a pair of binding posts to connect it to power or integrated amplifier.
Its passive crossover has a crossover frequency of 2.5 kHz, perfect for distributing the lows, mids, and highs into their specific speaker. It has a pair of gold-plated binding posts to connect the speakers to an amplifier without any issues.
Overall, it is expected that the Polk S55, which is a passive speaker, has limited controls, but this is still a great speaker for its value.
Polk S60
Like the Polk S55, the Polk S60 is also a passive speaker, which is why it has limited control options.
The speaker’s binding posts are gold-plated, which is excellent for connection stability. Its built-in crossover will help the speakers last longer as they guide the woofers to produce the appropriate frequencies for them.
Overall, there is nothing to expect from a passive speaker regarding control options. For the Polk S60, its reliable binding posts and built-in crossover are already satisfactory.
Price
Polk S55
The Polk S55 is the second-most expensive floor-standing speaker under the Polk’s Signature Series, but the price you are paying for its value would be worth it. Amazon gave an average score of 4.7 stars out of 5 stars, as the reviewers consider that buying a Polk S55 is an excellent investment.
Overall, the Polk S55 has an excellent sound and build quality, which is what you should expect from a top-level floor-standing speaker made by Polk. For its price point, it is a fantastic deal.
Polk S60
The Polk S60 is the most expensive under the Polk’s Signature Series, as it is also the flagship speaker of the product line. Its sound and build quality are one of the best when it comes to flagship floor-standing speakers.
Reviewers from Amazon gave an average score of 4.6 stars out of 5 stars, as they consider that buying a pair of these speakers is an excellent investment.
Overall, the speaker has an excellent value to price ratio, as it has one of the best price points in the market for a flagship floor-standing speaker. Purchasing a pair of these speakers is a great deal and an excellent investment.
Pros & Cons
Polk S55
Pros:
- It can get loud easily
- Excellent sound quality
- Compatible with high audio resolution formats
- Beautiful tall design
- Durable and stable
Cons:
- Heavy
- Bass and treble can be overbearing sometimes
- Limited control options
Polk S60
Pros:
- Excellent frequency response
- Impressive sound quality
- Attractive aesthetics
- Dolby and DTS surround sound technology ready
- Its build can last for a very long time
Cons:
- Heavy speakers
- Eats up space because of its height
- A little bright on the high-mids
Which Is Better?
The Polk S55 and S60 are two of the best floor-standing speakers in the market, and their sound and build quality are exceptional, but if I have to choose which is better between the two, I have to go with the S60.
The Polk S60 has a better frequency response than the S55, and it is also more powerful and louder than the latter. The difference in the price between the two can compensate for the difference in the sound and build quality of the S60 and S55.
