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Polk Audio Reserve R500
Amazing Sound and Elegance
Inheriting Polk’s flagship transducer array, the R500 produces exceptional sound that rivals competitor speakers that sell for twice the price. Hi-Res Audio certified, the Reserve R500 is ideal for today’s two-channel music listening as well as multi-channel 3D audio found in movies, sports, and video game soundtracks.
Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
The Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter’s distinctive pointed shape guides the dispersion of high frequency sounds around a room. This innovation widens the sweet spot and allows you freedom to enjoy your music and movies wherever you choose to sit.
Turbine Cone Woofer
Our pioneering turbine design delivers a significant increase in cone rigidity without increasing mass. This innovation means the woofer can move with increased accuracy and speed to deliver enhanced sound resolution, enabling you to experience a breathtaking level of detail in your music and movies.
X-Port
Reserve R500 integrates X-Port, featuring a set of closed-pipe resonators, called Eigentone filters that are tuned to absorb unwanted port and cabinet resonances, providing you pure, unadulterated, crystal clear sound and more bass output.
Form and function
Exceptional Cabinetry
Reserve’s sleek cabinetry hides a world of audio innovation. Cabinets are carefully cross-braced to best eliminate unwanted interior resonances. Rounded exterior corners help disperse sound broadly around the room with minimal diffraction, creating an open sound stage.
Take it to the next level
Optional Height Module
For immersive vertical sound, add compatible Reserve R900 height modules (sold separately). These optional height modules perform beautifully with the latest home theater technologies, including: Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS:X, DTS:X Virtual, IMAX Enhanced, and Auro-3D.
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Professional Reviews 84/100
Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
83/100
Build Quality
85/100
Value for Money
85/100
Polk Audio’s neutral balance and clean midrange make the Reserve R500 an easy fit for music and home theater, with respectable bass for a slim tower. Erin's Audio Corner found it works best with careful toe-in and EQ, while ecoustics highlights the engineered Pinnacle tweeter and Turbine Cone design.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Generally neutral tuning with good midrange balance makes it versatile for music and movies.
Carefully engineered tweeter, waveguide, and Turbine Cone drivers support clear, crisp highs and a smooth midband.
Bass is solid and adequate for the cabinet size, giving the speaker useful low-end presence.
&
Cons
Upper frequencies can sound shouty, especially in the 4-6kHz region.
Low bass lacks weight below roughly 40-50 Hz, so it does not deliver deep, authoritative extension.
It performs best when aimed carefully at the listener; toeing it out reduces air and shimmer.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 83/100
Reviewers call it a good speaker overall with measured neutrality that stays within about ±2dB from 80Hz to 16kHz, but they also note some real issues. The low end is described as adequate rather than weighty, and the upper mid/treble region can sound shouty and lose a bit of air unless the speaker is aimed carefully at the listener.
Bass
83/100
The bass is described as adequate, but it lacks weight below roughly 40-50Hz. For a dual 5.25-inch ported tower, that is a respectable showing, but the review does not suggest deep, commanding low-end authority.
Mid
85/100
The mid-range is called good, with a generally neutral overall balance. The main caveat is that the upper transition into the presence region can get shouty, so vocals and upper mids are not completely free of strain.
Treble
80/100
High frequencies are the clearest weak point in the review. Erin notes shoutiness around 4-6kHz and says the narrowing tweeter radiation above that reduces air and shimmer, so the treble sounds clean enough in parts but not fully refined.
Soundstage Imaging
83/100
The speaker appears to image best when carefully aimed at the listener, and toeing it out is specifically discouraged because it reduces air and shimmer. That suggests respectable focus, but also some directivity-related limitations rather than a notably expansive or forgiving presentation.
Dynamics
85/100
The review does not describe major dynamic strain or compression, and the speaker is presented as competent for general listening and home-theater use with EQ. At the same time, there is no strong praise for explosive scale or effortless slam.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
85/100
The review points to sensible, well-executed parts such as the Pinnacle ring radiator tweeter with waveguide, Turbine Cone drivers, and binding post terminals. There is not much discussion of cabinet finishing or long-term construction, but the available evidence suggests a solidly made, thoughtfully engineered speaker.
Value for Money
85/100
The review gives an MSRP of about $1,300 per pair, but it does not directly compare the R500 against rivals on value. With no clear peer-based value judgment in the supplied review, it reads more like a competent purchase at a premium-leaning asking price than an obvious bargain.
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Authorized dealers for Polk Audio Reserve R500
- Abt Electronics — online and in-store — Glenview, Illinois, United States (website)
- Accessories 4 less — online and in-store — Apopka, Florida, United States (website)
- Acoustic Sound Design — in-store — Las Vegas, Nevada, United States (website)
- Alex Audio Video — in-store — Sofia, Sofia City Province, Bulgaria (website)
- All That Audio — in-store — Anaheim, California, United States (website)
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- Altitudo Audio — online and in-store — Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (website)
- Area Hifi — online and in-store — L'Eixample, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
- Audio Advice — online and in-store — Raleigh, North Carolina, United States (website)
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