If you’re short on time and just want the highlights of this article, here it is:
After doing comprehensive research online, I feel like the Polk Audio TSi100 is a decent speaker for the price. It has good highs and mids, but lacks a bit in the lower frequencies, which makes it less than ideal for users looking for a deeply rich sound. The Dynamic Balance technology and Klippel motor optimization also help deliver a clean and detailed sound, but it could use a bit more precision tuning.
Additionally, the connectivity options are somewhat limited and the built-in keyhole hanger can be a bit awkward to use. The most ideal user for the Polk Audio TSi100 would be someone who is looking for an inexpensive speaker that delivers decent sound. As for the least ideal user, it would be someone who is looking for a premium speaker with a wide range of connection options and a deeply rich sound.
In conclusion, the Polk Audio TSi100 is a decent speaker for the price, but it’s not the best choice for everyone. It has good highs and mids and offers decent sound quality, but lacks a bit of depth and richness in the lower frequencies. The Dynamic Balance technology and Klippel motor optimization help deliver a clean and detailed sound, but the connectivity options are somewhat limited and the built-in keyhole hanger can be a bit awkward to use.
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Now let’s get to its bolts and nuts.
Polk Audio TSi100 Review: Sound quality
Let me tell you something right off the bat.
The sound quality performance you'll end up getting from a speaker will always depend on your room acoustics - particularly room dimensions and speaker positions.
The impact of the combination of these two is actually so strong that in most cases, it doesn't even make sense to utter a single word on sound quality without speaking of them.
This is also why it's not unusual to see completely different reviews of the same speaker.
In one case the speaker might be placed in a sweet spot inside the room and hence the user might be satisfied. In other cases the same speaker might be ill placed and hence user might even have returned it.
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The point most people miss here is that it mostly isn't even about the engineering behind the speaker itself. It's about where you place the speaker inside which room.
So, in order to solve this problem, I've partnered with Acoustics and Audio Engineering PhD Andrea Cicero from AC Acustica and created Soundton - a simple, 2D, browser accessible online speaker placement calculator.
With Soundton, now there's a way to figure the sound quality of most speakers before you buy them.
Read more about its working principles at soundton.com.
The end colormap provides you the locations with the best (green) and worst (red) acoustics.