Reserve R300: dialogue from a compact cabinet
The single sealed centre speaker is less than 49 cm wide.
The single Polk Audio Reserve R300 speaker reproduces the centre channel in a home cinema system: voices, dialogue and much of the action anchored to the screen. Two 5.25" Turbine Cone woofers flank a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter. At 482.6 mm wide, it is the shortest of the R300, R350 and R400.
Its sealed enclosure has no rear bass reflex port. That helps with furniture planning compared with a rear-ported centre, although the speaker still needs sensible clearance. A depth of 226.5 mm and height of 172 mm make it easier to check the space below a television.
Key features
- Passive centre channel with two 5.25" Turbine Cone woofers
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter; sealed cabinet
- Single five-way binding posts; recommended amplifier power: 30-200 W
- Dimensions: 482.6 x 172 x 226.5 mm; weight: 7.6 kg
- Stated response: 45 Hz-50 kHz; 65 Hz-38 kHz at -3 dB
The option for limited width
The R350 is lower but considerably wider and can also work as a left or right channel; the R400 has 6.5" woofers and a deeper cabinet. Instead, the R300 places two 5.25" drivers in a relatively compact box, with a stated 45 Hz-50 kHz overall response and 65 Hz-38 kHz limits at -3 dB.
Connect it to an AV receiver centre channel using its single five-way binding posts. A subwoofer configured through the AV receiver can relieve the centre channel of the deepest frequencies. It can be paired with other Reserve speakers for a consistent front stage, with a subwoofer handling the lowest frequencies where fitted.
Measure the available space in front of the television base as well. The centre speaker should not obscure the picture or block the remote-control sensor, and it should face the listening area.
