Polk Audio R40 Floor standing speakers
It seems that nothing in the appearance of the two-way R40 says that it belongs to the most recent issue of the Reference Theatre series, which has recently become the object of our most careful attention. The innovations introduced in R40, specially dedicated to it, are very important. New "sound generators", designed specifically by the American company Polk Audio for the new stylish pair, very narrow and rigid body - everything speaks about a comprehensive approach, which is almost always productive. Magnetic shielding of the heads is an essential attribute of branded products. Recall that when "fine-tuning" the drivers, the company always uses optical methods to control the behavior of membranes (Dynamic Balance). Clearly noticeable is the attention of developers to the lower frequencies: twin "long-stroke" woofers, a decent section of the bass reflex port, which is at the bottom, to improve the efficiency of its radiation.
The R40 plays generously. With friendly frankness the system opens a pure ocean of high-frequency detail to the listeners, not allowing them to "hide" behind a wall of smooth midrange sound under any circumstances. Well recognizable is the brand's own manner of representing bass. Determined, resilient, it perfectly organizes the symphonic flow of a large orchestra. Concerning the extreme depths, the acoustics are not trying to "grasp the immensity" at any cost. As a result, the bass is collected and convex. Volume never damages the very clean, precise mid-range. The acoustic system effectively unfurls the canvas of the electro-musical art of rock. The bright top sharpens the perception of "small" sound events (the background noise of the hall, spoken comments of performers, etc..). The simulated stage is located close to the listener (as in the stalls); this and the good spatial resolution along the front contribute to the effect of involvement. With increasing volume the high frequencies acquire slightly more "aggressive" attitude, their transparency decreases a little bit (not much).
The system is a good option for spectacular playback of dynamic musical forms: rock and roll, heavy metal and any electronic genres. An important advantage of R40 that should be recognized is the weak dependence of the quality of the bass from the volume of the room - the pair manages to please the listener with a connoisseur-grade bass even in relatively small rooms. If used as a theater front, the system is easy to combine with an active subwoofer.
Two-way speaker system, reflex type. Dimensions - 885x178x252 mm (34.8"x7"x9.9"), weight - 12 kg (26 lbs). Speakers: two 130-mm (5") drivers with polymer cone type tweeter with 19 mm (0.75") silk dome. Crossover Frequency - 2.5 kHz. Nominal electric power - 150 watts nominal impedance - 8 ohms.
