Polk Audio 65 RT vs B&W CWM652 Comparison

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Polk Audio 65 RT

Passive In-wall | 50-25kHz

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B&W CWM652

Passive In-wall | 54-50kHz

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Polk Audio 65 RT

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B&W CWM652

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Polk Audio 65 RT

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B&W CWM652

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Polk Audio 65 RT vs B&W CWM652 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing 65 RT and CWM652, two Passive In-wall speakers from Polk Audio and Bowers Wilkins.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk Audio 65 RT and B&W CWM652 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	Polk Audio 65 RT	B&W CWM652
Brand	Polk Audio United States · founded 1972	Bowers Wilkins United Kingdom · founded 1966
Design	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1" Soft-Dome	1" Soft-Dome
Woofer	6.5" Polymer Composite	5" Kevlar
Frequency response	50-25kHz	54-50kHz
Sensitivity	90 dB	86 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Power range	10-125 watts	25-100 watts
Dimensions (H x W x D)	12.7500" x 7.2500" x 3-1/2" 324.0 x 185.0 x 88.9mm	9.0000" x 6.0000" x 3.7500" 229.0 x 153.0 x 96.0mm

What size room are the Polk Audio 65 RT and B&W CWM652 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 65 RT	B&W CWM652
Near-field	Poor	Average
Small Room	Average	Good
Mid-size Room	Good	Average
Large Room	Average	Poor
Very Large Room	Poor	Bad

(* 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 65 RT and CWM652 are 2-way speakers.

Polk Audio 65 RT

B&W CWM652

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 65 RT	B&W CWM652
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x 6.5-inch	1 x 5-inch

65 RT features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polymer Composite Woofer. On the other hand, the CWM652 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Kevlar Woofer.

Frequency Response

65 RT has a frequency range of 50-25kHz whereas CWM652 has a frequency range of 54-50kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the 65 RT can go slightly deeper then the CWM652's min frequency of 54Hz.

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

65 RT

CWM652

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

65 RT and CWM652 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 65 RT sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the CWM652's is at 86 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Polk Audio 65 RT a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W CWM652, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

In-wall Speakers

65 RT

CWM652

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.

65 RT can handle a max power of 125 watts RMS, whereas CWM652 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 25 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.

Amplifier - change this

Distance

Playing as

Polk Audio 65 RT

B&W CWM652

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

65 RT features Spring post type posts and CWM652 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 65 RT's and B&W CWM652's external dimensions. 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) whereas B&W CWM652 has external dimensions of 229.0 x 153.0 x 96.0mm (9.0000-inch x 6.0000-inch x 3.7500-inch).

B&W CWM652 is 32mm narrower and 95mm shorter than Polk Audio 65 RT but it is also 7.1mm deeper.

What's in the Box of Polk Audio 65 RT?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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

What's in the Box of B&W CWM652?

Here are the items that come with the CWM652:

2 In-wall loudspeakers
2 Mounting frames
2 Grilles
2 Paint mask
2 Cut-out templates
Quick Start Guide
Template
Warranty Information

Reasons to choose Polk Audio 65 RT over Bowers & Wilkins Performance Series CWM652

Max Input Power	125 watts vs 100 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Sensitivity	90 dB vs 86 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Woofer Size	6.5 inches vs 5 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	50 Hz vs 54 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Price per pair*	398USD vs 700USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins Performance Series CWM652 over Polk Audio 65 RT

High Frequency Response	50k Hz vs 25k Hz	Generates higher frequency
Height	229mm vs 324mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	146cm² vs 164cm²	Takes less floor space

Polk Audio 65 RT vs B&W CWM652 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Polk Audio 65 RT	Bowers & Wilkins Performance Series CWM652
Brand	Polk Audio	Bowers Wilkins
Speaker Type	Passive In-wall Speaker	Passive In-wall Speaker
Power Range	10-125 watts	25-100 watts
Sensitivity	90 dB	86 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Frequency Response	50-25kHz	54-50kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	1
Woofer Size	6.5"	5"
Woofer Composition	Polymer Composite	Kevlar
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Soft-Dome	Soft-Dome
Aimable Tweeter	Yes	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Physical Specs
Height	324.0mm (12.8")	229.0mm (9")
Width	185.0mm (7.3")	153.0mm (6")
Depth	88.9mm (3.5")	96.0mm (3.8")
Enclosure	In-wall	In-wall
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	No	No
Other
Parts Warranty	Lifetime	5 Years
Labor Warranty	Lifetime	5 Years

Verdict

These sit in different price classes - B&W CWM652 costs roughly 1.8x what Polk Audio 65 RT does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	A	Polk Audio 65 RT digs deeper - 50Hz against 54Hz. A subwoofer would even that out.
Amplifier needs	A	Polk Audio 65 RT is more sensitive (90dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier.
Headroom	A	Polk Audio 65 RT takes more power (125W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room.
Size	depends	B&W CWM652 is easier to place; Polk Audio 65 RT is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Price	A	Polk Audio 65 RT is cheaper - $398 against $700, about 43% less; arguably a different class.

A Polk Audio 65 RT B B&W CWM652
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?

Polk Audio 65 RT is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take B&W CWM652 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. Match it to your room: we rate Polk Audio 65 RT the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and B&W CWM652 for near-field listening and a small room. In a large or open-plan room, Polk Audio 65 RT has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, B&W CWM652 is the easier speaker to get right.

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.