Polk L200 Speaker Demo Reviews

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  • Inspector 24
    Inspector 24 Posts: 1,308
    edited March 2020
    “IT WAS MEEEEE!”
    -Jim Carrey, Liar Liar

    “Karma is a b i t c h.”
    -Me

    😆😆😆

    Joking aside it’s a bummer they got damaged. I hope for the future of the demo program it was an accident in shipping or was honestly not noticed by someone. If it was no need to out yourself publicly, no shaming, accidents happen, I’m sure you’ll do the right thing and contact F1. Hope you’re not on his Bozo List.
    F1nut wrote: »
    Someone didn't tell me about this. Look, if you damage a speaker please tell me.

    ptxdubpsb7e4.jpg

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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    edited March 2020
    …..
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    Could that have happened in shipping ?
    HT SYSTEM-
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,708
    Anything is possible.
    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

  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    tonyb wrote: »
    Could that have happened in shipping ?

    I doubt it, especially with all the extra foam core packing material included by the man with the plan. Plus, the speakers go into a cloth bag, then a plastic bag, & then the foam core cocoon with the box on the outside.
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
  • krazypolk
    krazypolk Posts: 745
    Any way that it might have happened is purely an accident that was definitely not even noticed when it happened. Sucks it happened but not by carelessness.
  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 9,969
    Thanks for the insightful review!
  • TopperDude
    TopperDude Posts: 166
    very nice review.

    How did it compare with your current gear?
  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 9,969
    Those stands are attractive with the L200’s.
  • JayCee
    JayCee Posts: 1,474
    edited March 2020
    dromunds wrote: »
    Those stands are attractive with the L200’s.

    Thanks. I agree. Cheapo brand I picked up at Wally Mart many years ago for a pair of 1st gen CRS's I had. Decent metal construction and can be plugged to fill with sand. Downside is the mounting points to the base and speaker support (V shapes) are plastic to include the speaker coupler. If I looked to seriously use these I'd have 1/2" to 3/4" steel plate cut/drilled/countersunk to replace the speaker support platform.

    Nice design, plastic aside, because there are 3 collars (spacers) on the top that can be added/removed for height. I wanted to remove 2 after first listen of the 200's to get the tweeters closer to my listening height. Unfortunately, the bolt used for the assembly is sized for 2-3 spacers and a bit too long. However, dropping by one collar made a huge difference in dialing these lil' Polks in.

    The name of the stand company is printed on the speaker end and covered by the speakers. Don't want to lift a speaker at the moment but will look when I move these to my next rig in the AM if anyone is interested.
    Speakers: Polk1.2tl's (Uber Mods) Pre/Amp/DAC: PS Audio BHK Signature & 250, DirectStream Cables/IC's: MIT S1Bi-Wire/S1 Balanced +Avel Lindberg 1000VA "Dreadnought" Power Conditioner: PS Audio P15 Power Plant Power Cords: Core Power Technologies Gold, DH Labs Power Plus DIY w/Neotech NC-P301 & P311ends Streaming: Roon ROCK on wifi'd NUC, TP-Link WAP, & Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark, Emperor Double Crown Clock, Black Modernize LPS, PS Audio AirLens⟿Ω☯☥☮⟿🔊♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬
  • JayCee
    JayCee Posts: 1,474
    Friday bump on the thread. My time with the L200's is done and they are en route to audioluvr. I spent at least 50 ears on hours with them (easily more) and enjoyed every minute.

    First on my CP list of chores...pulling out my notes to post results from using the EMI meter Verb's sharing with the club. Second, write my L200 review. Third, a few more things in the works.
    Speakers: Polk1.2tl's (Uber Mods) Pre/Amp/DAC: PS Audio BHK Signature & 250, DirectStream Cables/IC's: MIT S1Bi-Wire/S1 Balanced +Avel Lindberg 1000VA "Dreadnought" Power Conditioner: PS Audio P15 Power Plant Power Cords: Core Power Technologies Gold, DH Labs Power Plus DIY w/Neotech NC-P301 & P311ends Streaming: Roon ROCK on wifi'd NUC, TP-Link WAP, & Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark, Emperor Double Crown Clock, Black Modernize LPS, PS Audio AirLens⟿Ω☯☥☮⟿🔊♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬
  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,314
    JayCee wrote: »
    Friday bump on the thread. My time with the L200's is done and they are en route to audioluvr. I spent at least 50 ears on hours with them (easily more) and enjoyed every minute.

    First on my CP list of chores...pulling out my notes to post results from using the EMI meter Verb's sharing with the club. Second, write my L200 review. Third, a few more things in the works.

    I knew you would enjoy them, looking forward to your thoughts.

  • JayCee
    JayCee Posts: 1,474
    edited April 2020
    Nightfall wrote: »
    I guess I'm alone here.

    I can understand where your coming from. Being partial to SDA's it's definitely a different sound. They're even a far cry from 705's, which I owned, but moved on to my sister. I found, after several days of not listening to my SDA's, I came to appreciate the differences. Not that one was better, per se, but getting to know them and resetting my preferred listening expectations. Not sure this makes sense but I'll explain more in the review. However, I get what you're saying.

    **EDIT TO ADD:
    JayCee wrote: »
    I spent at least 50 ears on hours with them (easily more) and enjoyed every minute.

    What I meant by this is it may be more accurate to say I enjoyed every minute of being able to demo them...and I did like them. They aren't perfect but I know where they could fit in my life.
    Speakers: Polk1.2tl's (Uber Mods) Pre/Amp/DAC: PS Audio BHK Signature & 250, DirectStream Cables/IC's: MIT S1Bi-Wire/S1 Balanced +Avel Lindberg 1000VA "Dreadnought" Power Conditioner: PS Audio P15 Power Plant Power Cords: Core Power Technologies Gold, DH Labs Power Plus DIY w/Neotech NC-P301 & P311ends Streaming: Roon ROCK on wifi'd NUC, TP-Link WAP, & Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark, Emperor Double Crown Clock, Black Modernize LPS, PS Audio AirLens⟿Ω☯☥☮⟿🔊♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬
  • JayCee
    JayCee Posts: 1,474
    I knew you would enjoy them, looking forward to your thoughts.

    Based on your gear and what I've read in previous posts, I'll go out on a limb and say we have very similar points of view. :)
    Speakers: Polk1.2tl's (Uber Mods) Pre/Amp/DAC: PS Audio BHK Signature & 250, DirectStream Cables/IC's: MIT S1Bi-Wire/S1 Balanced +Avel Lindberg 1000VA "Dreadnought" Power Conditioner: PS Audio P15 Power Plant Power Cords: Core Power Technologies Gold, DH Labs Power Plus DIY w/Neotech NC-P301 & P311ends Streaming: Roon ROCK on wifi'd NUC, TP-Link WAP, & Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark, Emperor Double Crown Clock, Black Modernize LPS, PS Audio AirLens⟿Ω☯☥☮⟿🔊♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    They
    Nightfall wrote: »
    I...

    I didn't like them for music. The top end was too hot for my personal tastes and I thought they lacked a little bit of musicality. I'm not saying they were dry and lifeless sounding but it sounded to me like they lacked just a little bit of soul. If those descriptors mean to me what they mean to you I can't say. It's not a fair apples to apples but as far as music goes I like everything about the Rosso Pienza's better. The L200's are too bright on the top end for me. I haven't heard any other ring radiator tweeters but maybe they're not for me in general or maybe it's just the Legend tweeter.

    The good. They were exceptional for video games and video content. I watched an episode of Picard on them and played a bunch of games as well and I truly liked them in that setting. IF I was to ever consider a new speaker line for my HT setup once I get that up and going to take over the vintage Polks I would certainly have the Legend line on my list.

    (FWIW) They definitely struck me as polite (perhaps even to the point of being a bit soulless), as I said originally (the polite part, not the soulless part). I didn't have any trouble with their treble :# -- but, then again, I've got old-guy ears at this point in my life. :/

  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    Nightfall wrote: »
    I guess I'm alone here. I'm not a professional audio reviewer or anything even close to that but my simple thoughts...

    Thanks for your thoughts on the L200's Josh. I would not expect any speaker out there to appeal to everyone and that's why we all like different things. I appreciate your candor, sir! :smile:
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    @Nightfall room dependent. In my den, they were wayyy too hot on top and got shrill fast. Same rig in the livingroom that is acoustically dead is where they sounded good to me.
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,862
    I found they got hot when you turned up the volume, the louder the harsher they got.
    Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,124
    Same issue I’ve had with nearly all ring radiator tweeters
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    txcoastal1 wrote: »
    Same issue I’ve had with nearly all ring radiator tweeters

    That's why I wanted to see them do a ribbon or diamond tweeter in this series.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,708
    A couple of windows?
    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

  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,420
    Listening to John Prine on the L200's. They are some folk music playing speakers! Could be the whiskey talking though.
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)


    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    edited April 2020
    Folk, Jazz, classic rock/pop, country... they excel at that. Just don't confuse them with large orchestral pieces or Heavy rock/metal. They tend to whither on the vine when hit by that stuff. Metallica with a full orchestra and they actually cried just a but.
    Post edited by nooshinjohn on
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,420
    Agreed. They lack on full bodied music tracks and there is something grainy with electric guitar tracks that I can't quite put my finger on. Almost a buzzing, harmonic thing... like the background buzz from the old high school PA system or something. It's only noticed on a very few tracks I've played so far. Still, really enjoying them while I've got them.
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)


    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus