Polk's T50 floorstander issues challenge to budget Pioneers

[MUSIC] If you're looking for an entry level set of speakers and sick of plasticky junk, then take heed. There's a new kid in town. The Polk T50 is the company's answer to our budget favorites, the Pioneer SP-FS52. The Polk's a 2.5 way four sounding speaker which offers attractive looks, very competitive pricing, and above average performance. While it does look like a clone of the Pioneers, there are some differences. Firstly this is a closed speaker. The bottom two drivers are passive radiators which amplify bass energy in a similar way to a port, but without the chopping noise. Secondly, the speakers are voiced to be more exciting than the Pioneers with a particularly energetic sound with movies. The bass is a little more agile too thanks to the closed box. Given that these are only $260, there's not much to complain about. But the Pioneer speakers are better. They sound richer and fuller, and are better with music. But if for some reason the Pioneers suddenly disappear tomorrow, the Polk T50 would make a decent substitute. This is Ty Pennelbry for CNET.