The Polk Legend L600 (see image) is a bit more compact, and the Polk Legend L800 is a lot more powerful and immersive.
If you’re looking for a premium high-end tower speaker system that gives you audiophile-grade sound quality, luxury aesthetics aimed at music-lovers and home theater enthusiasts serious about their equipment, the Polk Legend L600 and L800 are worth taking a look at.
In summary, Polk Audio’s all-new Legend series of premium floor-standing tower speakers are the result of almost half a century of experience from their engineers who have managed to bring heavy-duty bass and pristine audio sans additional subwoofers. Both Polk Legend L600 and L800 offer fantastic sound and design that add genuine value to your listening pleasure. They are also large and heavy (the Polk Legend L800 considerably more so) and are aimed at the affluent consumer with a budget to spare. The Polk Legend L800 is the more expensive of the two by almost double.
Let’s go have a closer look.
Sound
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.
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.
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So, in order to solve this problem, I've partnered with an Acoustics and Audio Engineering PhD 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.
ASAP Science also made a video on the loudest and quietest rooms in the world. A mind blowing example of the importance of acoustics (play time adjusted video below).
Other parameters such as the age/materials of the building, the furniture & carpets in place, etc can and will, of course, have an effect on room acoustics, too. But it's much less compared to other parameters mentioned above.
Also, while you're at it, blast my Hidden Electronic Gems list to test the speakers:
Anyways...
Polk Audio's commitment to innovation has led to its patented technologies like the SDS-SRS (Signature Reference System) and SRT (Signature Reference Theater).
Their latest top-of-the-line system, SDA-Pro, is featured on the Polk Legend L800, giving it a clear edge over the Legend L600, which seems aimed at a more conventional, stereo approach. This doesn't imply any slack in the actual quality of the Polk Legends L600’s sound as such. Still, the Polk Legend L800 definitely produces a more 'multi-dimensional' sound that feels like a more immersive experience.
It also comes with considerably more power to spare as well. So it's easy to see the vast difference in price between these two siblings.
That being said, the overall sound quality on both speakers sets a bar of sorts, especially in the bass ranges, where the combination of sheer power and clarity in these lower frequencies is extremely impressive.
Design
With wood-veneer finishes, these speakers definitely exude quality and exquisite finish. The overall aesthetic is classic-meets futuristic, which fits well in most living rooms. That being said, the Polk Legend L600 and L800 both raise doubts about their bulk and weight. These might be a deal (and back)-breaker for some.
Both towers also come with top-mounted, removable panels replaceable with the optional L900 height module speaker. Priced at $599 a pair, they go a long way in enhancing Atmos/DTS:X playback. A feature that definitely gives these an edge over their competition. Additionally, the interchangeable rubber feet and spikes help with stability once set up.
Color Options
- The Polk Legend L600 is available in black and ash grey
- The Polk Legend L800 is available in all black and brown
Dimensions
Polk Legend L600
- Height: 46.69" (118.59 cm)
- Width: 12.96" (32.92 cm)
- Depth: 15.9" (40.39 cm)
Polk Legend L800
- Height: 48.6" (123.45 cm)
- Width: 17.94" (45.56 cm)
- Depth: 17.38" (44.14 cm)
Weight
- Polk Legend L600: 77.8 lbs (35.29 kg)
- Polk Legend L800: 118 lbs (53.5 kg)
You can also answer a few questions to determine which Polk product is right for you.
Specs
Polk Legend L600
- Total Frequency Response: 28 Hz → 50,000 Hz
- Nominal Impedance Range: 3.3 ohms → 4 ohms
- Sensitivity (1 watt @ 1 meter): 86 dB
- Lower and Upper -3dB Limits: 34 Hz → 38,000 Hz
- Type: 3-way Orth Crossover
- Peak Power Handling: 300 watts
- Midrange Woofer Crossover Frequency: 410 Hz
- Tweeter Midrange Crossover Frequency: 2900 Hz
- Power Handling (per channel): 30 watts → 300 watts
- A/V Receiver Crossover Settings: Large (0 Hz)
Polk Audio's latest top-of-the-line system, SDA-Pro, is featured on the Polk Legend L800 (see image), giving it a clear edge over the Legend L600, which seems aimed at a more conventional, stereo approach.
Polk Legend L800
- Total Frequency Response: 24 Hz → 50,000 Hz
- Nominal Impedance Range: 2.8 ohms → 4 ohms
- Sensitivity (1 watt @ 1 meter): 87 dB
- Lower and Upper -3dB Limits: 32 Hz → 38,000 Hz
- Type: 3-way Orth Crossover (x2)
- Midrange Woofer Crossover Frequency: 370 Hz
- Tweeter Midrange Crossover Frequency: 2800 Hz
- Power Handling per channel: 25 watts → 300 watts
- A/V Receiver Crossover Settings: Large (0 Hz)
- Peak Power Handling: 300 watts
- Recommended Amplifier Power Per Channel: 25 watts → 300 watts
Connectivity
Both come with similar connectivity options and need to be connected to your devices through an amplifier. They also offer the unique possibility of ‘bi-amping,’ a practice where you use two amplifiers for increased power and clarity.
Price
At the time of this article, the Polk Legend L600 is priced at $1,749, and the Polk Legend L800 is priced at $2,999 per speaker. (Please check your local dealers for details).
Verdict
This is how the Polk Legend L600 and L800 stack up against each other:
- Design: Tie. But the Polk Legend L800 looks was more space age
- Sound: The Polk Legend L800 wins
- Connectivity: Tie
- Price: The Polk Legend L600 wins. But also offers considerably less power.
In conclusion, both speakers are worth your investment. But make no mistake, this is for serious audiophiles only. The Polk Legend L600 is a bit more compact, and the Polk Legend L800 is a lot more powerful and immersive.