Polk Reserve R100 vs Elac DBR62 & Monitor Audio Bronze 100. Can the little Polk compete?

Discord Link: / discord
Polk R100 video: • Polk Reserve R100 Revi...
Monitor Audio Bronze 100 video: • Monitor Audio Bronze 1...
Focal Chora 806 video: • Focal Chora 806 Booksh...
Elac DBR62 video: • Elac Debut Reference D...
Preamp & Power Amplifiers
Kinki Studio EX-P7: www.kinki-studio.com/ex-p7
Kinki Studio EX-B7 mono blocks: www.kinki-studio.com/ex-b7
Source: Bluesound Node 2i
www.crutchfield.com/p_813NODE...
(all music is hi-res streamed from Tidal)
DAC: Denafrips Ares II & Pontus II
www.vinshineaudio.com/product...
Subwoofers Used:
Rythmik FVX12 www.rythmikaudio.com/FVX12.html
SVS 3000 Micro www.svsound.com/products/3000...
REL T7X rel.net/shop/powered-subwoofe...
Elac 2030 www.elac.com/home-theater-sub...
Speaker & Power Cables: Maze Audio Ref4
www.mazeaudio.com/speaker-cabl...
RCA Cables: Analysis Plus Oval One
analysis.plus/product/oval-on...
Your results may vary based on your ears, room, and associated equipment:

[@terryhk99leung36]

Great review and comparsion ..thanks so much

[@seoulrydr]

pretty amazing how you manage to remember all those sound signatures! nice vid!

[@NemoPropaganda]

well, I have them all there except the chora so I didn't have to rely on memory too much :) I was hazy on the Elac so I just bought another pair for this video.

[@bobb.9917]

My buddy just bought the R200! HE LOVES THEM! For an additonal $100 that is a no-brainer. The R200s would be the BIG winner here.. If you remember we talked on discord about my Kinki Amps with a Shiit Freya+. I am going thru some changes with my Kinki EX-B7 amps that we talked about. It involves a Denafrips Athena Pre-Amp and a Pontus II DAC...Once I have more solid info and experience I think it would be an interesting exchange for both of us! Keep doing what you are doing!!!

[@NemoPropaganda]

Thanks' Bob!

[@chr10s]

You're one of the few reviewers who reference the Focal Chora speakers in comparisons. 🙏 I heard these speakers in person at a local store and immediately fell in love, however a bit out of my budget for now. I was also able to hear them alongside the Dynaudio and thought they were very similar, both were my clear 1, 2 favorites compared to other speakers I listened to, like the Klipsch 600M or the B&W 607s. All of the speakers chosen for your comparison are great! Thanks for your analysis!

[@NemoPropaganda]

Thanks Chris! Yeah I love the Chora man, it's just so good!!

[@charlesking678]

Man you got to check out the polk r200's. I bought the polk r200's and the elac dbr to try at home just because both are so well reviewed. They are more similar than different. Midrange and treble if say are dead even. It's Silverado vs f150. More alike than different. The bass is where they differ. I found the r200's can play fine without a sub. You're not gonna feel it in your chest, but but it definitely has a nice hefty bass presence. I was fine playing them without a sub. The elac's need a sub to round out their sound. I compared the polks to the kef r3, and prefer the polk r200. It's a phenomenal value.

[@NemoPropaganda]

I have the ELAC DBR also, I did a video about how they compare to the R100 you can see here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mH28fGprq9d_d6c Yeah I wish I got the R200 instead but it's okay, the R100 was enough for me to make this video and understand how great the Reserve range is.

[@legrandgroves8560]

What music do you listen too? Im into hard classic Rock, AC/DC, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Megadeth etc…best speaker under 2.5k kinda thing

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@legrandgroves8560 I test with a wide variety. Some rock but its more metal like Arch Enemy. Also pop, rap, edm, some acoustic stuff too.

[@onionknight9431]

I did the same comparison between R200 and ELAC. To my ears, R200 has warmer midrange, sharper treble. Not by much though. Like you said, they are more similar than different. R3 is too metallic sounding for vocals, great for instruments. I ended up with a pair of R500.

[@robbeddenluck]

I'm planning on getting a pair of Polk R200 and a sub for my home theater/music setup for my small 10x10 office. What kind of a sub would you recommend to pair with those speakers? I'm driving myself crazy watching your reviews on subs and how to pair them with speakers. I'm between a Pb-2000 pro and maybe a Rel. I want to feel the bass in my chest but in a small room I'm afraid of going too big My budget is at $1k. Thanks!

[@NemoPropaganda]

So the R200 have pretty good bass, I would chill for now and see how they sound first without a subwoofer. If you still want one you have a ton of great options around that price but a square room can be challenging for bass. REL HT1205, SVS SB2000 Pro, Arendal 1961 1S, Rythmik L12, and the list goes on :).

[@cornishminer69]

I've got the audio bronze 100 with a denon 600ne amp which is suppose to be more a warmer sound, seems a good matchup, top end vocal clarity (especially female vocals) is impressive, mid range is good but im sure there is better combos out there, bottom end bass is very impressive. I use it for music and films thus i agree with your comments. Speakers are a bit chunky thus definately a consideration for someone in a small/medium room.

[@andreassouth1523]

Excellent review and comparison with tiny details between polk and dbr62.I am very sensitive with treble and sibilance. So polk for me (r200 for better bass).What about wharfedale 12.2s review?

[@NemoPropaganda]

I'm not really interested in the 12.2 at the moment.

[@pkats9093]

Nice job Nemo. Question for you if you have a moment. I have a choice of two Elac speakers locally at a good price. The Dbr62 and the debut 2.0 6.2. These will be for a small living room TV set up. Any thoughts on which one of these two would be better for dialogue? Music only once in a while.

[@NemoPropaganda]

both image well and have good dialogue clarity, the more expensive DBR-62 will take the edge for sure though.

[@pkats9093]

@@NemoPropaganda thanks man! They are asking $450 for the DBR62, I might be able to do a little better. The debut 2.0 is around $320. Maybe I’ll just pony up for the DBR 62. Thanks again

[@pkats9093]

@@NemoPropaganda well I went for the dbr62 and have been playing around with them in the big rig. I must say I’m fairly impressed! Excellent midrange presentation with good detail. They blend extremely well with my Rel t9x. Really like what I’m hearing so far. I will keep them set up as I search for an integrated for the living room tv system. Thanks again

[@seanb3303]

I find that cooler tone you sometimes associate with “home theater sound” to be from the aluminum drivers.

[@NemoPropaganda]

it's hard to find any direct correlation in my experience. The original S400 was a metal cone yet not a speaker you would call cool & analytical while the Focal Aria 906 uses a flax cone but is definitely cool & analytical.

[@afox561]

I want to replace my PSB Alpha A/Vs front, left and center with a new set in my home theater. I need the left and right to be laid on their side and have a subwoofer. With that all in mind do you think the Monitor Bronze 100s are the choice? I have to say I have been very happy with my PSBs but they are close to 20 years old and I was looking for a change. I have a Yamaha RXV6A receiver.

[@NemoPropaganda]

Hi Andy, as long as the width won't make them too tall when laid on their side I believe they should be fine.

[@Cerebrosoft]

Heard most of these and these speakers are so close in performance that it is truly a purely subjective matter on what minor differences you prefer. In my country the Chora 806 costs $120+ less than the Polk R100! :) I have both. I think I will end up selling the Chora. Both do a great job, but the R100 does what I need while being a lot smaller and easier on the eyes, got a sub, so base isn’t a problem.

[@josephlmt297]

Hi Nemo ! I listen to rock and metal which of these could you recommend?

[@NemoPropaganda]

Hi bro, I listen to metal also like Arch Enemy, I think Polk Reserve is great for that!

[@kevinthorpe5945]

Have you heard the Elac Carina, or any other Elac with a ribbon tweeter? Curious what they do to Andrew’s signature tone, and if it’ll bring a little more of a detailed mid/top end. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@NemoPropaganda]

No, I think only Jay has reviewed them.

[@juanmillaruelo7647]

DBR62 are not distributed in Europe. Why, particularly for a European brand?

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@juanmillaruelo7647 oddly most of their subwoofers are not distributed in USA lol, such an odd company.

[@cogitoergosunt560]

How would compare this to wharfedale Evo 4.2 ( I m interested into the 4.1 for desk use also doesn't have the problem with off axe ) but I m also interested in bronze 50 and Polk 100 thanks Keep up the good work

[@NemoPropaganda]

Reserve is more warm & tonally rich. Evo is more all over the place with its sound as room setup is a massive factor, I would personally stay away from it. Bronze 50/100 is more cool analytical and dry. I would choose Reserve over Bronze unless you have a taste for dry/analytical sound. Bronze is an excellent speaker for theater/TV use but not so much for music only.

[@cogitoergosunt560]

@@NemoPropaganda thanks

[@Trollberg]

hey which is best for listening to extreme metal like death/black metal

[@NemoPropaganda]

most metal guys need a speaker that can handle crappy recordings like old cradle of filth albums and a speaker that has good & quick bass because most metal heads seem to have a good ear for bass quality. With that said the Zu DWX is what I would recommend if that's in the budget.

[@unklecorky2181]

I realize there isn’t a bookshelf speaker that offers perfect bass output without a sub but what speaker comes the closest? I need a solution for my bedroom for electronic,Industrial and industrial metal music. A subwoofer just isn’t going to jive here so I need to leverage the best bass performance from the speaker I choose.

[@NemoPropaganda]

Hey corky, I answered your question in my most recent video. S400 MK2 is your solution if its in the budget.

[@unklecorky2181]

@@NemoPropaganda Thanks Nemo!

[@felipencl]

Why did you part ways with your Focal Chora 806s?

[@NemoPropaganda]

Because I also have the more expensive Aria 906 :)

[@felipencl]

@@NemoPropaganda You helped me make a decision on the Focal Chora 806 and rule out some other options, thanks for the honest reviews! I'm having a hard time finding them in stock in my country though (Brazil). I intend to drive them with a Loxjie A30, which is kind of similar to the Arylic A50+ you mentioned in another video, so I think it will drive them just fine.

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@felipencl awesome bro!! have you tried ebay?

[@felipencl]

@@NemoPropaganda After a lot of thinking I ended up buying the Elac UBR62. I didn't have a chance to hear the Chora's, but from the comments and reviews I could find online, I believe the UBR's aren't as detailed as the Choras, but they do have a good amount of detail and a richer midrange and bass in comparison to the Chora's. I'm really liking them. Thanks for all the helpful reviews.

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@felipencl thats what I would guess the outcome would be, I'm happy you are enjoying the elac :D

[@BoBxPaiN]

What do you prefer polk r200 vs focal aria 906 for the same price

[@NemoPropaganda]

oh man, same price? Wow, tough question, okay so the Aria is built to a much higher standard and is technically the superior speaker BUT Aria 906 and Polk R200 are total opposite sounds so personal taste will be the deciding factor, it doesn't matter that Aria is better if you don't like it. Aria is fast, bright, analytical while R200 is warm & tonally rich. Both speakers are very good, pick the sound based on your taste.

[@BoBxPaiN]

@@NemoPropaganda thank you I appreciate your help brother 🙏 I think I'm going to buy a pack of focal aria 948 906 cc900 I hope they can do well in both HT and hifi

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@BoBxPaiN It should be amazing as long as you enjoy the open, detailed, analytical sound.

[@user-xg6zz8qs3q]

What should I get if the Focal 806 costs 658€ and the Polk R100 cost 700€?

[@erics.4113]

I'd say go listen to these both, if possible. Focal has a dramatically different sound and presentation. You'd need to do some soul searching or buy one or the other to gain the experience of what you're getting with one and what suits your preferences.

[@NemoPropaganda]

total opposite sound but I prefer the Chora 806 for it's better detail and superior low volume performance. On the other hand the R100 has a better midrange. Both speakers are easy on equipment matching.

[@user-xg6zz8qs3q]

Ok thanks! It looks like the Focal is clear & dry and the Polk is warm and smooth. I'm just kinda bummed about my Kilpsch RP600M and I'm on the lookout for a less dry, less anemic sound. I'm hoping to get a real upgrade and not a "sidegrade". So I'm on the fence between making the leap and getting some custom-built in Paris transmission line speakers for 2000€ (I love the idea of having no cross-over and no holes in the mid-range) or a decent pair of bookshelf speakers for 800€ or less. I have an entry level Yamaha RN402 amp BTW. I don't know if it's worth upgrading as well.

[@scottlowell493]

I had the dbr62. The tweeter was too soft and unresolving .The mids had good output, but the treble didn't keep up. I bypassed the tweeter cap with a mylar cap. That helped, but still many db too low.

[@NemoPropaganda]

DBR62 tweeter is for sure the weakest link.

[@scottlowell493]

@@NemoPropaganda The pinnacle ring totally destroys the elac tweeter. The R-100's are leagues better than elac in every way. I got rid of my elac. Overhyped and underperforming.

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@scottlowell493 100% correct, Elac tweeter is not very good even on the DBR62.

[@MartinAdrianoFlores]

Please review Starke Subwoofers!

[@NemoPropaganda]

You might be new to my channel, welcome aboard my friend. However I will not be reviewing Starke products.

[@MartinAdrianoFlores]

@@NemoPropaganda thanks for the response, curious why? Love the channel regardless

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@MartinAdrianoFlores I do not agree with their marketing practices bro. I'm sure their subwoofer is okay though.

[@donjaun540]

I wonder how you feel about throwing the Arrendal 1961 into this mix⁉️ How would it compare ❓ Also Compared to say the Polk R100, and R200.

[@NemoPropaganda]

they're discontinued so its a moot point now.

[@burtonwhiteside1240]

You can't compare a 5 and a quarter to a 6 and half not only the driver size but cabinet size makes a huge difference

[@NemoPropaganda]

With all due respect I will compare a 4" speaker to an 8" speaker if I feel like it. If they're in the same price range they will be cross shopped.

[@burtonwhiteside1240]

@@NemoPropaganda you can do whatever you want but comparing base is not on the same playing field no matter the price

[@erics.4113]

You can compare any two speakers though. And as specialized instruments, there is no this one is the winner for all applications. That 5.25 is in fact better for some situations.

[@burtonwhiteside1240]

@@erics.4113 ok jesus christ just flies over your head I'm saying you can't but hell never mind

[@erics.4113]

@@burtonwhiteside1240 don't get hung up on your 1.25 inches is all I would say. I've got a smaller 5.25 bookshelf with better bass (in my opinion) than my 6.5" bookshelf with also larger cabinet. Volume is in fact greater, but tightness and texture and response is trumped by my smaller set. For a number of factors. And this isn't a general rule, hence the point to make comparisons being relevant since, it can vary.

[@RockCity1111]

I know the R 200s are 3 times the sound of the smaller R 100.

[@NemoPropaganda]

you think so? I find it hard to believe just a slightly larger driver would bring such a performance improvement....

[@RockCity1111]

@@NemoPropaganda When i said 3 times better, I thought hmm. It just has alot more weight to the sound. This is my 1st bookshelf speaker as I have always had a bigger speaker's like some Jvc duel 12 in towers and I'm just surprised they sound as good as they do for a 6 1/2 woofer . I still feel the R 200 is at least twice as good as the R 100. 💯 3 times might be asking too much. Thanks Nemo

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@RockCity1111 ahahaha, sounds like you love bass as much as I do :D

[@RockCity1111]

@@NemoPropaganda the bass Technology built into this Reserve line is their best version yet. I hope u get to demo a pair. I don't know if the polks are considered 2021 model but this line need to be looked at for Speakers of the year !! I heard a demo with the Q acoustics 3050i bass tones at I think 35 to 40 hz the Qs were chuffing really bad While tho polks were Just Humming this super clean bass. I bought the R 200s that day. Q acoustics must have asked for the vid to be taken down because of how bad is sounded and would kill sales.,it was that big of a difference. It was the R 500s too smashing the Q acoustics 3050i .

[@eniojurko]

@@NemoPropaganda its not just the driver, the enclosure of r200 is significantly bigger..

[@bryce1934]

Picture shows UBR not DBR

[@NemoPropaganda]

I believe you may be mistaken but thank you for the concern.

[@Manu-yv1jt]

I found that to much detail is fatiguing

[@Jpanic4]

First!

[@NemoPropaganda]

aye!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@kaamilarshad5249]

dont trust your reviews

[@NemoPropaganda]

then why are you commenting?