In this review, we will be comparing 265-LS and 265 RT, two Passive In-wall speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk Audio 265-LS and Polk Audio 265 RT first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk Audio 265-LS | Polk Audio 265 RT |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Ring Radiator | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Aerated polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Polymer Composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-33kHz | 45-25kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 10-200 watts | 10-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.09kg / 9lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 19.1875" x 7.2500" x 3-3/4"
488.0 x 185.0 x 95.3mm | 19.1875" x 7.2500" x 3-9/16"
488.0 x 185.0 x 90.4mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk Audio 265-LS 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 265-LS |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that 265-LS is a 3-way design whereas the 265 RT is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Polk Audio 265-LSPolk Audio 265 RT
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 265-LS |
Polk Audio 265 RT |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
265-LS features a 1" Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Aerated polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the 265 RT features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polymer Composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
265-LS has a frequency range of 28-33kHz whereas 265 RT has a frequency range of 45-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the 265-LS can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 265 RT's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
265-LS and 265 RT have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 91 dB.
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.
265-LS and 265 RT have the same power range of 10-200 watts.
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
265-LS 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 265-LS's and Polk Audio 265 RT's external dimensions. Polk Audio 265-LS has external dimensions of 488.0 x 185.0 x 95.3mm (19.1875-inch x 7.2500-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-LS has the same height and width with Polk Audio 265 RT. On the other hand, with a thickness of 95.3mm, it is 4.9mm deeper.
What's in the Box of Polk Audio 265-LS?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 265-LS:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- White metal grille
- Power Port plug
- Mounting template
- Owners Manual
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