Polk SRS (1985–1993)
One caveat before anything else: the name "Polk SRS" covers more than one speaker. Polk first used "SRS" (Signature Reference System) in 1985 for a satellite-and-subwoofer system. In the early 1990s the badge came back on a line of large floor-standing towers, most commonly the SRS 2.3 (1991) and SRS 3.1 (1993). Collectors usually mean the floor-standers when they say "Polk SRS," but the record blurs the two. What follows sticks to what the sources agree on.
The floor-standing SRS was Polk's flagship statement, designed by founder Matthew Polk and chief engineer Irv Gross. The SRS 2.3 was a 4-way, ported tower rated to 20 Hz–26 kHz (±3 dB), with a sensitivity of 89 dB and a 4-ohm nominal impedance. It used a time-aligned driver array and a push-push woofer configuration — one woofer mounted so its reactive forces cancel cabinet vibration, a genuine engineering talking point of the era. The SRS 3.1, which followed in 1993, shared the family approach but was a more modest 45-inch tower with a sloped baffle and a ring-radiator tweeter.
Period advertising leaned heavily on the brand's founder. Polk's own ads quoted Stereo Review calling the SRS "Spectacular... it is quite an experience," and touted Grand Prix Award wins for the line. HiFI-Stereo (September 1986, p.144) described the SRS-2 as having a planar 15-inch sub-bass radiator, four 6½-inch woofers, and two 1-inch dome tweeters. That is a different driver complement again, and it shows how freely the model numbers and configurations shifted across the late 1980s.
Later reviews of the floor-standing SRS were mostly positive, with some complaints. The speaker threw a wide, stable soundstage and delivered deep, honest bass, with clean dynamics at high volumes. It was also, by general agreement, a difficult load. It wanted high-current amplifiers, and its imaging sweet spot was narrow - sit off axis and the picture fell apart quickly.
Used prices reflect the model confusion. A pair of SRS 2.3s typically sells in the $400-$600 range, while SRS 3.1s have been listed around $850. The original 1985 satellite/subwoofer system is scarcer and has fetched over $1,000 at auction.
Known specs (SRS 2.3, the most commonly documented floor-stander):
- Type: 4-way, floor-standing, ported
- Year: 1991
- Frequency response: 20 Hz – 26 kHz (±3 dB)
- Sensitivity: 89 dB
- Impedance: 4 ohms
- Crossover points: 300 Hz, 3 kHz, 14 kHz
- Recommended power: 20–500W
- Dimensions: 62" H × 14" W × 20" D
- Weight: 115 lb each
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