Polk Audio Legend L800: Impressive floorstanding speakers

Polk Audio Legend L800 provides acoustic separation of different audio channels into left and right, which forces us to reconsider our understanding of the sound stage of front speakers as a...

Polk Audio Legend L800
Polk Audio Legend L800

The American company Polk Audio, known for its relatively inexpensive speakers for music and cinema, presents a new premium series of Legend acoustics. According to Polk Audio itself, the series turned out to be “first-class.” The company’s engineers have tried to please everyone, including audiophiles who prefer concentrated stereo music sessions and movie buffs who love powerful, punchy sound. The Legend series includes six models: L100 bookshelf speakers (5.25-inch driver), L200 bookshelf speakers (6.5 inches), L400 center channel speakers, L600 floorstanders, L800 SDA floorstanders and L900 Atmos modules (installed on L600 or L800).

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As Polk Audio explained, the Legend speakers were created taking into account all the company’s developments and technologies. Moreover, the manufacturer stated that he had not previously produced such complex and high-quality speaker systems. Among the main features were the new Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeters, the unique design of which is designed to “significantly expand high-frequency dispersion.”

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Polk Audio also paid attention to Turbine Cones technology: the driver cones are molded in a special way, which, as the company said, increases strength and damping without increasing weight. For the listener, the Turbine Cones create a “composed, detailed midrange sound and effortless bass.” Polk Audio focused on the modified design of the Power Port bass reflexes: noise was reduced and bass effect was increased. The housings of the Legend series speakers are made of natural wood.

Description of Polk Audio Legend L800

The main distinguishing feature of the Polk Audio Legend L800 speakers from the more affordable L600 model is the implementation of Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA) technology. Its essence is to eliminate interference in the sound of different speakers that is formed during their cross-interaction.

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The resulting design and technological solution was called “SDA-PRO”. It provides acoustic separation of different audio channels into left and right, which forces us to reconsider our understanding of the sound stage of front speakers as a whole. The stage turns out to be expanded, as it is formed by multidirectional groups of speakers, the sound of which is reflected in the room along its own vectors. Thus, the width, height and depth of the sound stage are formed, and it turns out to be truly natural, regardless of the location of the listener. Moreover, this effect is fully transmitted when working with all modern formats (Dolby Atmos, Dolby Atmos Virtualization Technology, DTS:X, DTS:X Virtual and IMAX Enhanced).

Characteristics of Polk Audio Legend L800

Number of bands: 3
Power: 25 – 300 W
Frequency range: 25 Hz – 50 kHz
Frequency range (-3 dB): 32 Hz – 38 kHz
Sensitivity: 87 dB
Nominal impedance: 2.8-4 Ohms
Recommended amplifier power : from 100 W
Crossover frequency: 370 Hz / 2800 Hz
Drivers:
HF speaker: 2 x 1″ (25 mm)
Midrange speaker: 2 x 5.25″ (133 mm)
Bass/midrange speaker: 2 x 10″ (254 mm)
Dimensions (W x H x D): 455 x 1234 x 441 mm
Weight: 53.52 kg