Polk Audio Signature Elite ES20 Bookshelf Speakers at $359.00

Stepping into serious surround sound

Amazon price

$359.00

Customer rating

4.8

Customer reviews

800

Typical price over 90 days

$386.68

Difference

$27.68 (7 percent)

You're building a home theater around an AV receiver, and you need a pair of speakers that can handle movie dialogue, music, and game effects without sounding thin. The Polk Audio Signature Elite ES20 Bookshelf Speakers pair is a natural fit for side or rear surround duty, or as a stereo pair if you're starting with just two channels.

We'd consider this set a strong starting point for a 5.1 or Dolby Atmos system because Polk rates the ES20 for both 4- and 8-ohm use, so most modern AV receivers can drive it without trouble. The 6.5-inch woofer and 1-inch tweeter handle the main audio range, and the Power Port design aims to reduce chuffing noise while adding a little more bass than a standard port.

At $359.00, you're saving $27.68 off the typical price over the last 90 days, which puts a pair of these within reach if you're assembling a system piece by piece.

Wiring them into your receiver

Each speaker takes standard speaker wire, so you'll run a pair of cables from your AV receiver or amplifier. The 4- and 8-ohm compatibility means you should check your receiver's manual for the right setting before you power up, because a 4-ohm load can run hotter than an 8-ohm one on some budget receivers.

If you're adding these to an existing Signature Elite setup, Polk's timbre matching means they'll blend with the ES50 towers or ES30 center channel for a consistent sound across the front and rear stages. That matters when a sound pans from one speaker to another and you don't want the tone to shift.

For wall placement, the ES20 has keyhole slots and screw inserts so you can mount them as surround or elevation speakers. You'll need to confirm your wall structure and the weight limit of any bracket you choose, since the speakers don't ship with mounting hardware.

Matching the pair to your room

These make sense in a living room or dedicated media room where you want clear effects and a wide screen without floor-standing towers taking up floor space. The white finish keeps them visually light, and shelf or stand placement gives you flexibility when furniture layout is tight.

Skip them if your receiver only supports 8-ohm loads and you can't change that setting, or if you're expecting deep subwoofer-level bass from a bookshelf pair. A separate subwoofer is part of the 5.1 plan Polk describes, and these speakers won't replace one.

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