In this review, we will be comparing 65 RT and 100 IW 6, two Passive In-wall speakers from Polk Audio and Focal. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk Audio 65 RT and Focal 100 IW 6 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk Audio 65 RT Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Polymer Composite Woofer
- 50-25kHz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:10-125watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 324.0" x 7.2500" x 0.0000"
Focal 100 IW 6 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Polyglass Woofer
- 60-23kHz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-120watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 274.0" x 6.6250" x 3.3750"( 274.0 x 169.0 x 86.0mm )
What size room are the Polk Audio 65 RT and Focal 100 IW 6 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 |
Focal 100 IW 6 |
| 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 65 RT and Focal 100 IW 6 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 65 RT and 100 IW 6 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk Audio 65 RT |
Focal 100 IW 6 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
65 RT features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polymer Composite Woofer . On the other hand, the 100 IW 6 features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polyglass Woofer .
Frequency Response
65 RT has a frequency range of 50-25kHz whereas 100 IW 6 has a frequency range of 60-23kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the 65 RT can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 100 IW 6's min frequency of 60Hz.
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
65 RT and 100 IW 6 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 100 IW 6's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk Audio 65 RT a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal 100 IW 6, 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.
65 RT can handle a max power of 125 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 100 IW 6 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 5 watts less than the 65 RT.
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
65 RT features Spring post type posts and 100 IW 6 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 65 RT's and Focal 100 IW 6's external dimensions. Polk Audio 65 RT has external dimensions of ( 12.7500-inch x 7.2500-inch x 0.0000-inch) whereas Focal 100 IW 6 has external dimensions of 274.0 x 169.0 x 86.0mm ( 10.7500-inch x 6.6250-inch x 3.3750-inch) .
Focal 100 IW 6 is 16mm narrower and 50mm shorter than Polk Audio 65 RT but it is also 86mm 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 speakerFoam rubber port plugWhite metal grilleMounting templateOwners ManualSheer-Grille Painting instructionsOnline Registration CardPolk Audio product brochure
What's in the Box of Focal 100 IW 6?
Here are the items that come with the 100 IW 6:
One in-wall speaker1 metal-mesh grill (white)Cut-out templateUser manual
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Low Frequency Response 
High Frequency Response 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Height