Polk Audio 255C-RT vs Polk Audio 265 RT Comparison

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Polk Audio 255C-RT

Passive In-wall | 50-25kHz

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Polk Audio 265 RT

Passive In-wall | 45-25kHz

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Polk Audio 255C-RT

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Polk Audio 265 RT

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Polk Audio 255C-RT

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Polk Audio 265 RT

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Polk Audio 255C-RT vs Polk Audio 265 RT Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing 255C-RT and 265 RT, two Passive In-wall speakers by Polk Audio.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk Audio 255C-RT and Polk Audio 265 RT first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	Polk Audio 255C-RT	Polk Audio 265 RT
Brand	Polk Audio United States · founded 1972	Polk Audio United States · founded 1972
Design	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1" Soft-Dome	1" Soft-Dome
Woofer	2 x 5.25" Polymer Composite	2 x 6.5" Polymer Composite
Frequency response	50-25kHz	45-25kHz
Sensitivity	90 dB	91 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Power range	10-150 watts	10-200 watts
Dimensions (H x W x D)	7.5625" x 13.0625" x 3-7/8" 193.0 x 332.0 x 98.4mm	19.1875" x 7.2500" x 3-9/16" 488.0 x 185.0 x 90.4mm

255C-RT and 265 RT are members of Polk Audio's RT series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Polk Audio RT Series History

Model	Body	Frequency	Sensitivity	Impedance	Woofer
Polk Audio 65 RT	In-wall	50-25kHz	90 dB	8Ω	1 x 6.5"
Polk Audio 255C-RT	In-wall	50-25kHz	90 dB	8Ω	2 x 5.25"
Polk Audio 265 RT	In-wall	45-25kHz	91 dB	8Ω	2 x 6.5"

What size room are the Polk Audio 255C-RT and Polk Audio 265 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*	Polk Audio 255C-RT	Polk Audio 265 RT
Near-field	Poor	Poor
Small Room	Average	Average
Mid-size Room	Good	Good
Large Room	Average	Average
Very Large Room	Poor	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 255C-RT and 265 RT are 2-way speakers.

Polk Audio 255C-RT

Polk Audio 265 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	Polk Audio 255C-RT	Polk Audio 265 RT
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	2 x 5.25-inch	2 x 6.5-inch

255C-RT features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polymer Composite Woofer. On the other hand, the 265 RT features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polymer Composite Woofer.

Frequency Response

255C-RT has a frequency range of 50-25kHz whereas 265 RT has a frequency range of 45-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the 265 RT can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 255C-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

255C-RT

265 RT

Min

Average

Median

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

255C-RT and 265 RT have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 255C-RT sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the 265 RT's is at 91 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk Audio 265 RT a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk Audio 255C-RT, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

In-wall Speakers

255C-RT

265 RT

Min

Average

Median

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.

265 RT can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas 255C-RT has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the 265 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.

Amplifier - change this

Distance

Playing as

Polk Audio 255C-RT

Polk Audio 265 RT

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

255C-RT features Spring post type posts and 265 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 Polk Audio 255C-RT's and Polk Audio 265 RT's external dimensions. Polk Audio 255C-RT has external dimensions of 193.0 x 332.0 x 98.4mm (7.5625-inch x 13.0625-inch x 0.0000-inch) whereas Polk Audio 265 RT has external dimensions of 488.0 x 185.0 x 90.4mm (19.1875-inch x 7.2500-inch x 0.0000-inch).

Polk Audio 265 RT is 147mm narrower and 8mm less deeper than Polk Audio 255C-RT but it is also 295mm taller.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk Audio 255C-RT and Polk Audio 265 RT in scale.

Comparison image of Polk Audio 255C-RT and Polk Audio 265 RT Size and External Dimensions

What's in the Box of Polk Audio 255C-RT?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of 255C-RT:

In-wall center-channel loudspeaker
White metal grille
Mounting template
Owners Manual
Sheer-Grille Painting instructions
Online Registration Card
Polk Audio product brochure

What's in the Box of Polk Audio 265 RT?

Here are the items that come with the 265 RT:

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

Reasons to choose Polk Audio 255C-RT over Polk Audio 265 RT

Height	193mm vs 488mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Price per pair*	398USD vs 558USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose Polk Audio 265 RT over Polk Audio 255C-RT

Max Input Power	200 watts vs 150 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Sensitivity	91 dB vs 90 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Woofer Size	6.5 inches vs 5.25 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	45 Hz vs 50 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Base Surface Area	167cm² vs 326cm²	Takes less floor space

Polk Audio 255C-RT vs Polk Audio 265 RT Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Polk Audio 255C-RT	Polk Audio 265 RT
Brand	Polk Audio	Polk Audio
Speaker Type	Passive In-wall Speaker	Passive In-wall Speaker
Power Range	10-150 watts	10-200 watts
Sensitivity	90 dB	91 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Frequency Response	50-25kHz	45-25kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	2	2
Woofer Size	5.25"	6.5"
Woofer Composition	Polymer Composite	Polymer Composite
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Soft-Dome	Soft-Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Physical Specs
Height	193.0mm (7.6")	488.0mm (19.2")
Width	332.0mm (13.1")	185.0mm (7.3")
Depth	98.4mm (3.9")	90.4mm (3.6")
Enclosure	In-wall	In-wall
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	No	No
Other
Parts Warranty	Lifetime	Lifetime
Labor Warranty	Lifetime	Lifetime

Verdict

Siblings in Polk Audio's RT series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	B	Polk Audio 265 RT digs deeper - 45Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out.
Amplifier needs	evenly matched	Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power.
Headroom	B	Polk Audio 265 RT takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room.
Size	depends	Polk Audio 255C-RT is easier to place; Polk Audio 265 RT is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Price	A	Polk Audio 255C-RT is cheaper - $398 against $558, about 29% less.

A Polk Audio 255C-RT B Polk Audio 265 RT
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.

Which should you choose?

The usual trade-off: Polk Audio 265 RT measures better, Polk Audio 255C-RT costs about about 40% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Polk Audio 255C-RT much easier to justify. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $160 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.

And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.