Polk Audio Signature Elite ES35 Slim Center Channel Speaker (Brown)

Polk Audio Signature Elite ES35 Slim Center Channel Speaker (Brown)

The Polk Signature Elite ES35 is a slim centre channel speaker designed to solve a common home theatre problem: most centre speakers are too tall to sit in front of a modern television without blocking the bottom of the screen or the remote sensor. At just 104 mm high, the ES35 in this brown finish slides onto a shelf or cabinet under the television and still carries a seven-driver array, so dialogue stays clear and centred without compromising the picture. It is Hi-Res Audio Certified and compatible with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X systems, where the centre channel carries the majority of dialogue and on-screen action.

Key Features

• Slim 104 mm profile fits under most televisions
• 1-inch Terylene high-resolution dome tweeter
• Six 3-inch mica-fortified polypropylene drivers
• Total frequency response 68 Hz to 40 kHz
• Power Port bass technology, in dual port configuration
• Usable as centre, or as vertical left, right or surround speakers
• Keyhole slot for wall mounting

Driver Array and Dialogue Clarity

Six 3-inch Dynamic Balance mica-fortified polypropylene drivers work alongside a 1-inch Terylene dome tweeter, with a crossover at 2.7 kHz. The tweeter extends to 40 kHz, which suits high-resolution soundtracks and spatial audio mixes, while the closely spaced mid-bass drivers and phase-optimised cascaded crossover keep voices focused at the centre of the screen and blended with the rest of a Signature Elite system. Sensitivity is 89 dB (2.83 V at 1 m), recommended amplifier power is 20 to 150 watts per channel, and impedance is compatible with 4-ohm and 8-ohm receiver outputs, so most AV receivers drive it comfortably.

Power Port Bass From a Slim Cabinet

A cabinet only 155 mm deep cannot move much air through conventional ports without turbulence noise. Polk’s Power Port design smooths the airflow from the cabinet ports to give the low end more weight and lower distortion than the slim dimensions suggest, which matters because the centre channel carries effects and music as well as speech in film mixes. The non-resonant MDF cabinet and anti-diffraction magnetic grille keep the enclosure from colouring the sound or interfering with dispersion.

Placement: Centre, Left, Right or Wall

The ES35 is flexible about its job. Used horizontally it is a centre channel for a Signature Elite surround system; used vertically in pairs or triples it can serve as left, right or surround speakers for a uniform front stage. A keyhole slot allows wall mounting, and connection is by single gold-plated 5-way binding posts. Dimensions are 620 x 104 x 155 mm (W x H x D) and weight is 6.4 kg.

The complete specifications for this brown finish ES35 are listed below, including driver complement, sensitivity and amplifier requirements.