Polk Audio Reserve R900 Dolby Atmos Speakers (Pair)

Polk Audio Reserve R900 Dolby Atmos Speakers (Pair)

The Polk Reserve R900 is a height module speaker that adds the overhead dimension of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks to a Reserve series home cinema — without cutting holes in the ceiling. Each sealed cabinet carries a 4-inch Turbine Cone woofer and a 0.75-inch Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter, the same driver family used across the Reserve line, so the height channels are timbre-matched to the front and surround speakers they work with. The module is designed to sit on top of a compatible Reserve floorstanding or bookshelf speaker and fire upward, reflecting height effects off the ceiling, or to mount on the wall as a direct-firing height or surround speaker.

A switch on the rear panel selects the placement — on-speaker or wall — and adjusts the speaker’s response for that position. Wall mounting uses keyhole slots, with a threaded insert option in the manual, and connection is via single nickel-plated 5-way binding posts. Driven by 45 to 100 watts per channel from an AV receiver’s height channels, the R900 covers the height layer for Atmos, DTS:X and IMAX Enhanced content.

Key Features

• Height module for Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and IMAX Enhanced soundtracks
• 4-inch Turbine Cone woofer and 0.75-inch Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter
• Two placement options: on top of Reserve speakers (up-firing) or wall-mounted
• Rear placement switch optimises response for the chosen position
• Timbre-matched to the Polk Reserve series (R200, R500, R600, R700)
• Sealed cabinet design with acoustically inert grille
• Frequency response 70 Hz – 32 kHz (-3 dB limits, wall mounted)
• Hi-Res Audio certified tweeter performance

Reflected height vs wall mounting

Placed on top of a main speaker, the R900 fires at the ceiling and the listener hears the reflection as sound arriving from above. This works best with flat ceilings of standard height and needs no drilling, which is why the on-top option suits renters and finished rooms. Wall mounting puts the module high on the wall, aimed down at the listening position — a more direct presentation that suits rooms where ceiling reflection is unreliable, such as high or heavily treated ceilings. The placement switch compensates the response either way, so the choice is about the room, not a compromise in sound.

What you need to run it

The R900 is a passive speaker: it needs height-channel amplification from an Atmos-capable AV receiver and speaker cable, and it is sold as a pair for front height left and right. A second pair can be added for rear height channels in larger layouts. Bass management in the receiver crosses the deep bass to the subwoofer, which is why the module’s response is specified in the height-channel range rather than full range.

Where it fits

The R900 completes a Reserve series system — typically R700, R600 or R500 fronts with an R350/R400 centre and R100 surrounds — and is equally at home as the first step from 5.1 to 5.1.2 Atmos. Full specifications, including sensitivity, impedance, crossover frequency, dimensions and weight, are in the Additional Information table on this page.