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Tower speakers are there to be seen and heard. They are highly visible yet sleek and without being overly dominant in your home entertainment system. You can experience more depth and overall, a far better sound. With so many appealing options, we thought we would help narrow down the choice.
We will be discussing the Sony SSCS3 vs Polk Audio T50. We will go over all of their specifications like appearance, power, and value for money. After a detailed comparison, we will have a quick recap of the features and add some pros and cons before our final verdict.
There are a couple of features that are so similar that although they weren’t identical, we have listed them as shared features. We will begin here.
Sony SSCS3 vs Polk Audio T50 – Similarities
Quick Glance
Here are the specifications in a comparison chart.
Speaker Type
Both the Sony SSCS3 and the Polk Audio T50 are high-resolution floor standing speakers. They are sold separately but make a great pair if you invest in 2.
Tweeter
A speaker tweeter can be 0.75 inches to 1.5 inches with most being 1 inch. The Sony SSCS3 has a 0.98-inch tweeter and the Polk Audio T50 has a 1-inch tweeter. So, the fraction of a difference is minimal.
Maximum Power
The greater the power a speaker can handle, the more volume you will be able to appreciate before the sound begins to distort. The Sony SSCS3 has a maximum power rating of 145W. For the Polk Audio T50, this is 150W, so again, just a slight difference.
Nominal Impedance
The Sony SSCS3 and the Polk Audio T50 have a nominal impedance of 6 ohms, like the majority of speakers at either 4, 6, or 8 ohms.
That is all for the similarities so we will move on to what sets the Sony SSCS3 and the Polk Audio T50 apart.
Differences Between Sony SSCS3 and Polk Audio T50
Appearance
It isn’t much you can do with a floor-standing tower speaker in terms of appearance. Black is the usual color, and you can choose whether to leave the grille on or take it off.
Sony SSCS3
This speaker measures 9.05 x 10.24 x 36.3 inches. It weighs 25.35 pounds.
Polk Audio T50
It’s a little more compact at 8.75 x 9.25 x 36.5 inches. It weighs less too at 20.35 pounds.
The Winner Is- The Polk Audio T50
Design
The design of a speaker is more about acoustic quality than just looks.
Sony SSCS3
With an all-wood enclosure, a natural amplifier for a clearer sound. The faceplate edges are slightly tapered to suppress edge diffraction.
Polk Audio T50
The speaker is made of MDF, which reduces resonance and distortion. You can also benefit from wide-dispersion drivers.
The Winner Is- A Tie
Read next – Polk CS10 vs T30: Which Central Speakers Are Better?
Drivers
Working in conjunction with the tweeter, the drivers are going to allow for the mid to low frequencies.
Sony SSCS3
There are two 5.12-inch drivers. They use a foamed mica-cellular diaphragm that produces powerful bass and clear vocals.
Polk Audio T50
The first is a 6 ½ inch extended throw composite mid. It also has 2 6 1/5-inch bass radiators. All of the drivers use Polk’s Dynamic Balance technology for a more complete sound across the frequencies.
The Winner Is- The Polk Audio T50
Read next – Polk S50 vs S55: Which Floor Standing Speaker is Better?
Frequency Range
The frequency range will help you to understand the abilities of the speaker in terms of the highs and the lows. The average human ear can hear from 20Hz to 20Khz. There isn’t much difference in the extent of the range but there is in the highest and lowest frequency.
Sony SSCS3
This speaker has a frequency range of 45Hz to 50KHz.
Polk Audio T50
Here, the range is from 38Hz to 24KHz.
The Winner Is- A Tie
Crossover
The crossover is a component that converts audio signals into the right frequency.
Sony SSCS3
All we know is that the crossover is optimized.
Polk Audio T50
There is a 2-way crossover for a clear audio path.
The Winner Is- The Polk T50
Binding Posts
The binding posts are the connectors for the power and the audio information.
Sony SSCS3
Though we know the speaker has binding posts, there is no information about them.
Polk Audio T50
To ensure the right connection, the speaker has 5-way binding posts.
The Winner Is- The Polk T50
Value for Money
Sometimes, with quality speakers like these, it might just come down to the value for money.
Sony SSCS3
It’s Sony so you would expect it to be the more expensive speaker. It’s a shame that the only information regarding the warranty is that it is limited.
Polk Audio T50
You might be able to save around $50. Plus, the added advantage of a 5-year warranty on parts and labor.
The Winner Is. The Polk Audio T50
Pros and Cons
Before our final decision, here are a few pros and cons of the Sony SSCS3 and the Polk Audio T50.
Sony SSCS3
Pros:
- Good build with a sturdy stand
- Absolutely amazing highs
- Ideal as left and right speakers in 5.1 setup
Cons:
- Lacking midrange and bass is ok, not the best for certain types of music
Polk Audio T50
Pros:
- Excellent sounds across the different frequencies
- Great bass sound for the price
- There are some great bundles available
Cons:
- They aren’t the best as stand-alone speakers
The Final Verdict
We have a clear winner today. The Sony SSCS3 is a great speaker, after all, it is Sony. But we felt that Polk has done a good job giving Sony a run for its money. The Polk T50 has style, power, and awesome sound quality. The extra driver really captures a superior sound and that is the most important aspect. The fact that you can save a little money and relax with a longer warranty is just more advantageous.