In this review, we will be comparing Arena 6IW and 65 RT, two Passive In-wall speakers from JBL and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Arena 6IW and Polk Audio 65 RT first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Arena 6IW | Polk Audio 65 RT |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Polycellulose | 6.5" Polymer Composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-20kHz | 50-25kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 80 watts | 10-125 watts |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 9.8125" x 7.2500" x 3.4375"
250.0 x 185.0 x 88.0mm | 12.7500" x 7.2500" x 3-1/2"
324.0 x 185.0 x 88.9mm |
|---|
What size room are the JBL Arena 6IW 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* |
JBL Arena 6IW |
Polk Audio 65 RT |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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 Arena 6IW and 65 RT are 2-way speakers.
JBL Arena 6IWPolk 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 |
JBL Arena 6IW |
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
|
Arena 6IW features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polycellulose Woofer. On the other hand, the 65 RT features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polymer Composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Arena 6IW has a frequency range of 38-20kHz whereas 65 RT has a frequency range of 50-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the Arena 6IW can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 65 RT's min frequency of 50Hz.
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
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
Arena 6IW and 65 RT have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Arena 6IW sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the 65 RT's is at 90 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Polk Audio 65 RT a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL Arena 6IW, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
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.
65 RT can handle a max power of 125 watts RMS, whereas Arena 6IW has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 45 watts less than the 65 RT.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Arena 6IW 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 JBL Arena 6IW's and Polk Audio 65 RT's external dimensions. JBL Arena 6IW has external dimensions of 250.0 x 185.0 x 88.0mm (9.8125-inch x 7.2500-inch x 3.4375-inch) 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).
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.
Near-identical footprints. Polk Audio 65 RT is 74mm taller.
What's in the Box of JBL Arena 6IW?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Arena 6IW:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Scrim cloths (1 installed)
- Mounting Template
- Instruction Manual
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