In this review, we will be comparing Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling and 65 RT, two Passive In-wall speakers from Aperion and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Aperion Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling and Polk Audio 65 RT first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Aperion Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling | Polk Audio 65 RT |
|---|
| Brand | Aperion
United States · founded 1998 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" | 6.5" Polymer Composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-25k Hz | 50-25kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-120 Watts watts | 10-125 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 1.91kg / 4.2lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 9-1/16" x 9-1/16" x 5-1/16"
230.0 x 230.0 x 128.0mm | 12.7500" x 7.2500" x 3-1/2"
324.0 x 185.0 x 88.9mm |
|---|
What size room are the Aperion Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling and Polk Audio 65 RT speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Aperion Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling |
Polk Audio 65 RT |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling and 65 RT are 2-way speakers.
Aperion Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-CeilingPolk Audio 65 RT
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Aperion Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling |
Polk Audio 65 RT |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling features a 1" Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woofer. On the other hand, the 65 RT features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polymer Composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling has a frequency range of 55-25k Hz whereas 65 RT has a frequency range of 50-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the 65 RT can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling's min frequency of 55Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling and 65 RT have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the 65 RT's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk Audio 65 RT a more sensitive speaker compared to Aperion Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling can handle a max power of 240 watts RMS, whereas 65 RT has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 115 watts less than the Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Aperion Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling features Spring post type posts and 65 RT has a Spring post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Aperion Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling's and Polk Audio 65 RT's external dimensions. Aperion Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling has external dimensions of 230.0 x 230.0 x 128.0mm () whereas Polk Audio 65 RT has external dimensions of 324.0 x 185.0 x 88.9mm (12.7500-inch x 7.2500-inch x 0.0000-inch).
Polk Audio 65 RT is 45mm narrower and 39.1mm less deeper than Aperion Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling but it is also 94mm taller.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Aperion Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling needs about 79% more floor or shelf area. Aperion Clearus C6C Angled 6.5" In-Ceiling is 39mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Polk Audio 65 RT is 94mm taller.
What's in the Box of Polk Audio 65 RT?
Here are the items that come with the 65 RT:
- Rectangular in-wall speaker
- Foam rubber port plug
- White metal grille
- Mounting template
- Owners Manual
- Sheer-Grille Painting instructions
- Online Registration Card
- Polk Audio product brochure