Choosing Between the Revel M16 and Polk ES20: A Detailed Comparison

When shopping for bookshelf speakers around $300, you'll likely encounter two compelling options: the Revel Concerta2 M16 at $296 and the Polk Audio Signature Elite ES20 at $279. Let's dive deep into how these speakers compare and which might be right for your needs.

Understanding Bookshelf Speakers in 2024

Bookshelf speakers remain a cornerstone of quality home audio, offering an excellent balance of performance and space efficiency. They're designed to deliver high-fidelity sound while fitting comfortably on shelves, stands, or desks. The best bookshelf speakers can serve as your main stereo pair or integrate into a larger home theater system.

What makes this comparison particularly interesting is the price point - both speakers now compete in the same bracket, though they weren't born there. The Revel M16 originally retailed for nearly $1000 when released in 2016, while the newer Polk ES20 was designed from the start as a value proposition.

Sound Quality and Character

The Revel Approach

The M16's sound signature reflects its high-end heritage. Revel, a Harman brand known for their scientific approach to speaker design, equipped the M16 with an aluminum dome tweeter and matching aluminum woofer. This creates a cohesive, precise sound that excels with acoustic music, jazz, and classical recordings.

The speaker's "Acoustic Lens" waveguide (a specially shaped housing around the tweeter) helps control how sound spreads into your room, creating a more consistent listening experience across different seating positions. This technology, borrowed from their more expensive Performa3 line, helps the M16 produce an impressively accurate soundstage - the imaginary space where instruments appear to be playing.

Polk's Modern Take

The ES20 takes a different approach, using a Terylene (a synthetic fiber) tweeter and a mica-reinforced polypropylene woofer. These materials, combined with Polk's "Dynamic Balance" technology, create a warmer, more forgiving sound that works well with a variety of music genres.

Polk's proprietary PowerPort technology (an enhanced bass port design) helps the ES20 produce surprisingly deep bass for its size. While the bass isn't as tight or controlled as the Revel's, it might be preferable for those who listen to modern music genres where bass quantity is important.

Technical Performance Deep Dive

Frequency Response and Accuracy

The Revel M16 demonstrates exceptional linearity in its frequency response (how evenly it reproduces different musical notes). Measurements show very consistent output from around 55Hz up to 20kHz, with minimal deviation. This translates to a very neutral, uncolored sound that accurately represents the recording.

The Polk ES20 claims a wider frequency range (44Hz-40kHz) but shows more variation in its response. This isn't necessarily negative - many listeners enjoy the slightly enhanced bass and treble regions, which can make music sound more exciting.

Imaging and Soundstage

Here's where the Revel M16 really shows its heritage. The carefully designed waveguide and precise driver alignment create exceptional imaging - the ability to pinpoint where sounds are coming from in the stereo field. Instruments and vocals appear in distinct locations between and sometimes beyond the speakers.

The Polk ES20 produces a wider, more forgiving soundstage but with less precise imaging. This can be beneficial in larger rooms or when listeners aren't sitting in the optimal position.

Real-World Performance

Music Playback

With acoustic music, the Revel M16's superior detail retrieval and accuracy become immediately apparent. You'll hear subtle details like fingers sliding on guitar strings or the natural decay of piano notes. However, this revealing nature means it will also expose flaws in poor recordings or streaming.

The Polk ES20 excels with modern music, providing engaging bass response and an energetic top end that makes pop, rock, and electronic music exciting. Its more forgiving nature means it works better with compressed streaming services and less-than-perfect recordings.

Home Theater Use

Both speakers can serve well in a home theater context, but they have different strengths:

The Revel M16's precise imaging helps create a more accurate surround sound field, particularly noticeable with movie soundtracks that feature subtle environmental effects. Their neutral response also matches well with different center channels.

The Polk ES20's wider dispersion pattern and stronger bass output might better serve larger rooms or situations where precise speaker placement isn't possible. They're also easier to match with other Polk speakers if you're building a complete system.

Value Consideration

The current pricing creates an interesting situation. The Revel M16 at $296 represents exceptional value, offering near-high-end performance at an entry-level price. However, this is closeout pricing, and availability may become limited.

The Polk ES20 at $279 was designed for this price point and offers consistent value with current technology. It's likely to remain available and supported, with easily obtainable matching speakers for system expansion.

How to Decide

Choose the Revel M16 if:

• You primarily listen to acoustic, jazz, or classical music
• You have a quality amplifier (they're slightly harder to drive)
• Precise imaging and accuracy are priorities
• You can find them at the closeout price

Choose the Polk ES20 if:

• You enjoy modern music genres
• You want deeper bass without a subwoofer
• You need more placement flexibility
• You're planning to build a complete home theater system
• You prefer a warmer, more forgiving sound

Remember that both speakers represent excellent value at their current prices - the choice ultimately comes down to your personal preferences and listening habits rather than absolute quality differences.

The Future-Proofing Aspect

While the Revel M16's design is from 2016, its performance remains competitive, showcasing how well-engineered speakers can stand the test of time. The Polk ES20's newer design incorporates more recent developments in materials and manufacturing, potentially offering better long-term durability and support.

Whichever you choose, both speakers demonstrate how far speaker technology has come, offering performance that would have cost significantly more just a few years ago. The real winner is the consumer, who can now access genuinely high-performance audio at increasingly accessible price points.

Revel Concerta2 M16 Bookshelf Speaker Deals and Prices

Polk Audio Signature Elite ES20 Bookshelf Speakers - Pair Deals and Prices