Polk L200 Speaker Demo Reviews

F1nut
F1nut Posts: 49,704
This thread is for the reviews of the members in the demo program. Everyone else try to keep on topic, thanks.
Political Correctness'.........defined

"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


President of Club Polk

«13456715

Comments

  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 10,862
    When can we expect the first review? Roughly...
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,965
    Willow wrote: »
    When can we expect the first review? Roughly...

    Friday, October 25 8:18 a.m.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,924
    edited September 2019
    Oops, I got off to a bad start already :p

    You can expect a 'review' (well, some sort of miscellaneous ramblings) from me sometime in the next 24 hours.

    nji2n6cf1usf.jpg

    Actually, and in all seriousness, @F1nut, since I am not technically in the demo program, is it OK for me to post comments here?


  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    Post away Doc.
    HT SYSTEM-
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    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
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    Kitchen

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    lsi 9's
  • tonyp063
    tonyp063 Posts: 1,044
    Mark,
    You had ears on them & we in the forum know that you understand good sound.
    I, for one, would like to see you observations & opinions
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,042
    Very informative Mr. Hardy, thank you.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,346
    Thanks for the write up!

    They are smaller than I thought they would be, and weigh about 34 percent less than the LSiM 703s. Dimensionally, they're smaller all around. But, the specs say their -3dB lower limit measurement is a tiny bit lower than the 703s (46 Hz vs 50 Hz).

    https://d3vqw2nv1topde.cloudfront.net/assets/Product Documents/Legend/Polk_Legend_Product_Infosheet_6Pgr_Digital.pdf

    Given the nature of the new cone material, my guess is it make take quite a few hours for the L200s to open up and bloom. That's also what I found with the 703s though. They sounded dull and boomy at first.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,924
    edited September 2019
    As I mentioned, @Manticore had stands and has listened to them on said stands along the long axis of the room (and possibly also with a different amplifier and/or preamp, I am not 100% sure of that). I listened to them as you see them (per my disclaimer posted earlier). He would have liked me to hear them that way as well, but I had been up since 4:30 am and was pretty brain dead by 3pm. I also attended the NEARC swapmeet in Brookline NH Saturday morning (and did a pretty good job of offloading some hifi junk, too -- even made some $$ doing it!).

    As to break in, I don't know how much total play time they have since they started out with @F1nut.
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,704
    edited September 2019
    They had close to 200 hours in them.

    Definitely way too high up in the pic.

    Mark, thanks for your review.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    Thanks for the very detailed review mark!
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • Thanks for the review. I will be interested in another review where these are set up properly. Asumming this listening session was with the setup as pictured.
    2 channel: Anthem 225 Integrated amp; Parasound Ztuner; TechnicsTT SL1350; Vincent PHO-8 phono pre; Marantz CD6005 spinner; Polk SDA2BTL's; LAT International speaker cables, ZU Mission IC's and power cables all into a PS Audio Dectet Power center.

    Other; M10 series II, M7C's, Hafler XL600 amp, RB-980BX, Parasound HCA-1500 amp , P5 preamp, all in storage. All vintage Polk have had crossover rebuilds and tweeter upgrades.

    The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

    It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact.

    Imagine making politics your entire personality.
  • pglbook
    pglbook Posts: 2,163
    Mark, thanks for the very informative and detailed review.
  • indyhawg
    indyhawg Posts: 1,633
    Doc, thank you for the detailed write up.
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Interesting comments Doc. Well written as usual. I'm having a bit of difficult trying to understand "artificial" and "plastic-y" please expound if you would indulge me.

    Now where's my Prozac? And speed for that matter? :)
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,924
    edited September 2019
    Spend some time listenin' to vintage Altec drivers and horns and you'll know exactly what I mean.

    There is a polished gloss to everything that makes it sound smooth and nice. I used the mood-stablilizer drug metaphor (well, OK, I used a simile, so, like, sue me... ;) ) but I actually had another one.

    You know how the internet is rife with complaints abou the heavily airbrushed "photoshopped" photographs of (typically) beautiful, nubile women that are just too perfect to be real? Like that. But sonically.

    I was tempted to invoke, umm, what's her name? Kim Kar... something. Karmann Ghia? Something like that. Kinda commonly found on the internet. Married to some musician. That kinda gets to the point, but brings in a whole 'nother level of metaphorical resonance related to bottom end performance that -- well, I just didn't want to go there.

    B)

    The too good to be true effect is pretty common with modern audio production values, too -- but we tried a lot of different kinds of music, from multiple sources, too. There was a sort of sameness to the way everything sounded that was extremely pleasant but not particularly natural.

    How about this? I have the same sort of response to "HDR photography".

    reke2gupslid.png
    4cpu473f2dm0.png


    I mean, the world doesn't really look like a carefully focused variant of a Bob Ross painting.

    ;)
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Ahhh. Thanks Doc. Only you have such an ability IMO to articulate your thoughts such that, even an engineer can understand! Thank you! :)
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,965
    Very interesting thoughts Doc Hardy

    I think the entire industry has moved to this direction.

    Look forward to more thoughts
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,924
    verb wrote: »
    Ahhh. Thanks Doc. Only you have such an ability IMO to articulate your thoughts such that, even an engineer can understand! Thank you! :)

    In biotech, I had to work with engineers, too ;)

    Actually, some of the very best scientists I've ever worked with were actually engineers. Like this guy.

    https://www.nae.edu/149873/Dr-Brian-D-Kelley
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,924
    edited September 2019
    ... sorry, I am taking this thread off-topic!
  • gmcman
    gmcman Posts: 1,739
    Thank you for the detailed review, looking forward to this.
  • dolbyd
    dolbyd Posts: 430
    Nice review

    New legend ad from Polk just dropped

    https://youtu.be/ZkoKV0JxDfY
    Main room- RTiA9 x4, CSiA6, in ceiling Atmos RT-70 x4, SVS PC 4000 x2, Marantz 8805A, OPPO 203, Emotiva DR3 G3, Emotiva XPA-2 G3, Emotiva XPA-5 G3, Emotiva X300, Sony 75" 940E, Panasonic Plasma VT50, PS Audio Power Port X2, PS Audio AC-5 x8, AQ Rocket 33 Biwire speaker cables, AQ King Cobra XLR IC, Furman PFi20 W/Cullen cable, SoildSteel S4-4 rack, Gik room treatments

    Office- Legend L600, in ceiling Polk RC80i, Marantz 7704, OPPO 203, Pioneer Elite PDF-59 CD, PSA Stellar 300, Sony 55" 800B, Gik room treatment

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    Patio- SDI Atrium8 x3, Emotiva A-100 amps x3
  • Nice writeup, but I'd like to address the obvious elephant in the room. Prozac isn't a mood stabilizer, and if it were, wouldn't it be best applied to treat something like this?

    alxi2u5tg5jj.png

    Main: Polk Rti-38
    Center: Polk Csi-40
    Rear: Polk Fxi-30
    Sub: SVS PB10-isd
    Receiver: Marantz SR-5007
    Buttkicker Mini Concert x 4
  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,346
    Surround speakers are not using the SDA function, although angled baffles may look somewhat similar. There is no crosstalk cancellation with the old FX speakers, just tweeters aimed in different directions to produce a more diffuse soundfield. Seems like most companies have abandoned that bidirectional speaker design approach lately as Dolby processing systems have evolved to be more precise thanks to better processing power being available. Dolby Atmos systems actually call for rear speakers to be at ear level now.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,924
    edited October 2019
    Not to sound defensive ;) but I think I correctly identified Prozac as an SSRI -- I think I tried to invoke mood stabilizers kind of incidentally, and I offer my apologies if I failed.
    ... but I wonder if what I was experiencing listening to the L200s yesterday was the aural equivalent of Prozac or maybe some mood stabilizer --

    note the "or"
    :#

  • natronforever
    natronforever Posts: 31
    edited October 2019
    mhardy6647 wrote: »

    note the "or"

    Touche! I was reading the bit about emotional flattening, which is atypical to an SSRI (though sometimes anecdotally seen.) I missed your clearly applied "or". Apologies!

    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    explain yourself @natronforever ?

    Bipolar speaker. Get it? Ba-dum.
    Post edited by natronforever on
    Main: Polk Rti-38
    Center: Polk Csi-40
    Rear: Polk Fxi-30
    Sub: SVS PB10-isd
    Receiver: Marantz SR-5007
    Buttkicker Mini Concert x 4