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.
Polk Audio 265-LS Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 6.5" Aerated polypropylene Woofer
- 28-33kHz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:10-200watts
- Weight:4.09kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 488.0" x 7.2500" x 0.0000"
Polk Audio 265 RT Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Polymer Composite Woofer
- 45-25kHz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:10-200watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 488.0" x 7.2500" x 0.0000"
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk Audio 265-LS and Polk Audio 265 RT 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
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.
| 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.
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
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. 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.
265-LS and 265 RT has the same power range of 10-200 watts.
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
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
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 Polk Audio 265-LS's and Polk Audio 265 RT's external dimensions. Polk Audio 265-LS has external dimensions of ( 19.1875-inch x 7.2500-inch x 0.0000-inch) whereas Polk Audio 265 RT has external dimensions of ( 19.1875-inch x 7.2500-inch x 0.0000-inch) .
In this case, we can see that Polk Audio 265-LS and Polk Audio 265 RT have the exact same height, width and thickness.
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 loudspeakerWhite metal grillePower Port plugMounting templateOwners Manual
What's in the Box of Polk Audio 265 RT?
Here are the items that come with the 265 RT:
In-wall speakerFoam rubber port plugWhite metal grilleMounting templateOwners ManualSheer-Grille Painting instructionsOnline Registration CardPolk Audio product brochure
Driver Setup 
Low Frequency Response 
High Frequency Response 
Price per pair*