I wanted to downsize my speakers. After listening to some borrowed Polk speakers, I liked the Polk sound. So I started shopping around and settled on these Monitor 40s. I wanted to have a pair of woofers in each speaker that could handle the mid-bass well (I also have an 8" subwoofer made by MartinLogan to handle the lower bass). I have two pairs now and drive them with a vintage quadraphonic (4 channel) receiver that has about 16 watts per channel. That may not sound like a lot of watts, but it's plenty. (By the way, most people listen to music at about 1 watt of receiver power. Yes, that's true.) The sensitivity (or efficiency) of these speakers is 89dB. That means that these speakers will put out 89dB of volume at 1 watt of power from 1 meter away. 89dB is pretty loud. I rarely hit 80dB when listening to music.
So, with these four Monitor 40s, I've got eight 5.25" woofers handling the mid-bass, and four tweeters handling the highs. To me, these speakers sounded great right out of the box. Some listeners report better sound as the speakers "break in." If that's the case, then they will only get better and better as time goes on.
I've done some listening with just the front two speakers. The soundstage is quite wide. The detail is good without being harsh. I've not experienced any listener fatigue.
These speakers are impressive as "bookshelf" speakers. The woofers can put out really decent bass all on their own without a subwoofer. Having a sub certainly helps extend the bass lower, but these speakers definitely impress with their bass output. Lots of other bookshelf speakers have a single woofer built into them. Having a pair of 5.25" woofers in each speaker gives them a little more "oomph," in my opinion.
The grills are nice and do a great job of protecting the drivers. This is important to me, because I have a very active border collie that gives the word "fetch" a whole new meaning. Occasionally, an errantly thrown ball can hit the speaker, but the well-made grills prevent any damage.
I have the speakers on some simple DIY speaker stands which tilt the front of each speaker up about 2 inches so that the tweeter is aimed close to my ear level when seated. Doing so with any speaker will often improve the listening experience.
For the price, these speakers deliver a good quality audio experience. Sure, the sky's the limit when it comes to audio, but at $125-150 per pair, compared to similarly priced (and likely higher) products, these Polks are worth your consideration.
The quality of construction is very good. They are attractive. I have one pair each of cherry and black speakers.
These speakers can also be bi-wired or bi-amped. If you don't know what that is, just google it. In short, this is a method of splitting the high and low frequencies. Some persons report getting a bit better audio quality when so doing. In my case, I don't have my speakers bi-amped or bi-wired. But it might be a feature some are looking for.
These speakers are worth considering.
UPDATE: I wanted to upgrade my Polk Monitor 40s one step so I compared them to a pair of ELAC B6's which have received very positive reviews. My receiver is a New-Old-Stock Sansui QRX-5500 that I obtained about 2 months ago... so I have the capability of listening in 2- and 4-channel. I listen mostly to streamed music through 192Kbps Pandora One and 320Kbps Spotify Connect paid subscriptions. I use a Polk PSW505 12" subwoofer. However, while doing the A/B testing described below, I have left the sub off so just the bookshelfs were playing. My living room is my listening room, too. It's likely considered a "hard" room, with no carpet, lots of hard walls and windows, a soft couch and recliner and with no special sound treatment by me.
I've had some Polk Audio Monitor 40s for about 9 months that have served as both the front mains and rear surrounds... with good results, at least to me. I got some ELAC B6 bookshelf speakers last week and have set up an A/B testing device using a Niles SPS-4 Speaker Selection System. I've been doing the A/B-ing since Thursday through to right now between the Polks and the ELACs.
After reading about the ELACs I expected there to be a noticeable gain in audio quality over the Polks... but to my ears, that hasn't been the case. Since Thursday, I've listened to probably 20 hours or more and the Polks have hung in there very well compared to the ELACs.
Before I go further, I'm 62 years young, have moderate to severe hearing loss augmented by use of a hearing aid. My loss is mostly in the high frequency regions.
The Polks have a better, clearer, more pronounced high-frequency-end than the ELACs. Of course, this is the way my ears are hearing it. The upper frequency Polk sound, however, is not harsh or overly bright but definitely comes in as more noticeable than do the ELACs. It's almost as if the highs in the ELACs are muted to a degree. I checked and double checked that my speaker wire connections were correct.
NOTE: I did some reading about speaker driver "break in" and the SCIENTIFIC view is that speaker "break in" is a myth. So, I am discounting any suggestions that the ELACs will get better over time. (Let's not go there in this post, OK?)
However, the ELACs best the Polks in the bass regions, especially the lower bass. Again, the A/B testing has been done without the participation of the subwoofer. For what it's worth, the Polk cabs are about 10% larger than the ELAC cabs. Yet the ELACs have deeper bass than the Polks. If the ELAC highs are good enough for you, and you are not using a subwoofer, you may prefer the ELACs over the Polks.
But once the subwoofer is introduced, then the Polks sound better to me than the ELACs. This is likely because the sub picks up the lower bass range that the Polks miss, and the Polks' high end bests the ELACs... again, to my ears.
As for cosmetics, both sets of speakers look great. My Polks have the cherry finish. The ELACs come with "brushed vinyl," and they look great. It isn't trying to be wood... but it rather looks quite modern and I think attractive in appearance. The speaker connections on both sets are 5-way jobs... though I still prefer the pinch spring-loaded varieties due to the ease of connect/disconnect.
The ELACs are about twice the price of the Polks currently. "Open box" and "scratch and dent" deals can save you some money.
I had hopes that the ELACs would be my choice... but it ain't gonna happen. I'll be sticking with the Polks for now. I might upgrade to the Polk TSi200's since they are the heirs to the Monitor 40's and have a slightly larger cabinet.
That's my take on comparing these two sets of speakers. I wouldn't even call this post a "review" of these two sets of speakers. It's just a comparison by someone whose hearing is compromised, and that "someone" is not an audiophile. I just like listening to good music over decent speakers that don't cost a fortune.
As always, your mileage may vary. Thanks for reading.
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This Item  Polk Monitor XT20 Pair of Bookshelf or Surround Speakers - Hi-Res Audio Certified, Dolby Atmos & DTS:X Compatible, 1" Terylene Tweeter & 6.5" Dynamically Balanced Woofer (Pair, Midnight Black) |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $299.00 | -25% $149.00 List: $199.00 | -38% $249.00 List: $399.00 | $399.98 | $198.00 | $329.98 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Jul 17 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Jul 17 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Jul 17 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Jul 17 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Jul 17 | Get it as soon as Thursday, Jul 18 |
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| Sold By | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | CAPITOL HOME THEATER | Huppins | Amazon.com | Huppins |
| speaker size | 450 millimeters | 400 millimeters | 5.25 inches | 6.5 inches | 5.25 inches | 4 inches |
| power source | Corded Electric | Corded Electric | Corded Electric | — | Electric | Corded Electric |
| connectivity tech | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | RCA |
| speaker type | Bookshelf | Bookshelf Speaker | Bookshelf,Woofer | Bookshelf | Bookshelf, Tweeter, Coaxial, Subwoofer, Woofer | Bookshelf, Center Channel |
| mounting type | Shelf Mount | Wall Mount | Shelf Mount | Tabletop mount,Floor mount | Tabletop | Shelf Mount |
| weight | 12 pounds | 9 pounds | 9.5 kilograms | 38.03 pounds | 19.9 pounds | 31 pounds |
From the manufacturer
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Hi-Res Audio Certified Performance Monitor XT20's Terylene dome tweeters enable playback beyond the range of human hearing-up to 40kHz-ensuring an airy, clear, high-end energy and spaciousness that you'll not only hear but feel. MXT20 is a perfect speaker set to enjoy high-resolution movies, gaming or the latest high-resolution streaming services like Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music HD, Qobuz and Spotify HiFi. |
Surprisingly Effortless Bass Polk has always been known for speakers that produce effortless bass that's surprising for their size. The MXT20 is no exception. Beefy 6.5" high-efficiency, Dynamically Balanced woofers provide a clean, open mid-range and punchy, responsive bass, with low distortion-making voices and instruments clearly heard and movie soundtracks and music filled with impact . |
Dolby Atmos Certified & DTS:X Compatible Compatible with the latest Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound enabled AV receivers and 4- and 8-ohm amplifiers, Monitor XT does not require specialized equipment to deliver great sound. |
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Built for Pure Listening All Monitor XT models are made for the enjoyment of pure sound: Their nickel-plated binding posts provide a direct, lossless connection; critically braced, low-resonance, MDF cabinets isolate the sound of the woofer and tweeter without adding unwanted resonances; and their removable, precision-fit grilles minimize sonic interference. |
Elevate Your Surround Sound Combine the MXT90 height module (available separately) with the MXT20 to experience new dimensions of 3D sound. Raise your home theater to new heights. The Monitor XT90 enhances movies & games with 3D sound in Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. |
Modern Styling Nearly Five Decades in the Making Monitor XT Series is the latest evolution of Polk's critically acclaimed Monitor speaker line originally introduced in 1974. We've continued to refine our craft since then and they feature our latest innovations in affordable, but great sounding tweeters, woofers and cabinetry. Plus, their modern, stylish design will fit with any home décor. |
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Nicely constructed and packed for shipping
I like them but they have a little bit of what I call tunnel vision. If you cup your hands around your mouth when you talk it sounds like your voice is coming out of a tunnel, to me these seem to have a little bit of that sound. They're pretty inexpensive for a pair so I'm not really complaining, just an observation. Still waiting for bookshelves to come in, but it should be noted that I ordered "open bookshelves", meaning Metal framing with pieces of wood for the speakers to sit on . I'm not putting these speakers into even more of an enclosure (Cubbyhole enclosure) which would increase the tunnel vision sound.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2024
Style: Monitor XT15Pattern: SpeakerVerified Purchase
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adenildo d.
Caixa boa
Reviewed in Brazil on May 18, 2024Style: Monitor XT20Pattern: SpeakerVerified Purchase
Jorge
Calidad que sorprende a costo asequible!!
Reviewed in Mexico on October 27, 2023Style: Monitor 40Pattern: SpeakerVerified Purchase
Ismael
Excelente aquisição
Reviewed in Brazil on April 25, 2023Style: Monitor XT15Pattern: SpeakerVerified Purchase
Riley
Phenomenal speakers - Set them up CORRECTLY and you'll be rewarded.
Reviewed in Canada on March 7, 2023Style: Monitor XT15Pattern: SpeakerVerified Purchase
Sambit Chatterjee
Brilliant set of speakers absolutely!
Reviewed in India on July 7, 2024Style: Monitor XT20Pattern: SpeakerVerified Purchase