In this review, we will be comparing Arena 6IW and RC85i, 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 RC85i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the JBL Arena 6IW and Polk Audio RC85i 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the JBL Arena 6IW and Polk Audio RC85i compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Arena 6IW and RC85i are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
JBL Arena 6IW |
Polk Audio RC85i |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Arena 6IW features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polycellulose Woofer . On the other hand, the RC85i features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
Arena 6IW has a frequency range of 38-20kHz whereas RC85i has a frequency range of 50-20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the Arena 6IW can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the RC85i's min frequency of 50Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
High Frequency
In-wall Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Arena 6IW and RC85i 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 RC85i's is at 90 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Polk Audio RC85i 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. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Arena 6IW can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Arena 6IW has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS , 20 watts less than the RC85i.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Arena 6IW features Spring clip type posts and RC85i has a Spring clip type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 RC85i'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 RC85i has external dimensions of 324.0 x 221.0 x 89.0mm ( 12.7500-inch x 8.6875-inch x 3.5000-inch) .
Polk Audio RC85i is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 36mm wider, 74mm taller and 1mm deeper than JBL Arena 6IW.
What's in the Box of JBL Arena 6IW?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Arena 6IW:
In-wall loudspeakerGrille2 Scrim cloths (1 installed)Mounting TemplateInstruction Manual
What's in the Box of Polk Audio RC85i?
Here are the items that come with the RC85i:
2 White in-wall speakers2 White grilles1 Cardboard Mounting TemplateOwners ManualOnline registration sheetProduct Registration Card