In this review, we will be comparing RC85i and R-5650-W II, two Passive In-wall speakers from Polk Audio and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk Audio RC85i and Klipsch R-5650-W II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk Audio RC85i | Klipsch R-5650-W II |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Horn-loaded dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" Polypropylene | 6.5" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-20kHz | 52-23kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-100 watts | up to 50 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 3.27kg / 7.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.7500" x 8.6875" x 3.5000"
324.0 x 221.0 x 89.0mm | 13.0000" x 8.0000" x 3.6875"
331.0 x 204.0 x 94.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk Audio RC85i and Klipsch R-5650-W II 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 RC85i |
Klipsch R-5650-W II |
| Near-field |
Average |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
No way |
(* 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both RC85i and R-5650-W II are 2-way speakers.
Polk Audio RC85iKlipsch R-5650-W II
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 RC85i |
Klipsch R-5650-W II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
RC85i features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the R-5650-W II features a 1" Horn-loaded dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500 Hz.
Frequency Response
RC85i has a frequency range of 50-20kHz whereas R-5650-W II has a frequency range of 52-23kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the RC85i can go slightly deeper then the R-5650-W II's min frequency of 52Hz.
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
RC85i and R-5650-W II have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. RC85i sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the R-5650-W II's is at 93 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-5650-W II a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk Audio RC85i, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
RC85i can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS, whereas R-5650-W II has a max power handling value of 50 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the RC85i.
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
RC85i features Spring post type posts and R-5650-W II 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 RC85i's and Klipsch R-5650-W II's external dimensions. Polk Audio RC85i has external dimensions of 324.0 x 221.0 x 89.0mm (12.7500-inch x 8.6875-inch x 3.5000-inch) whereas Klipsch R-5650-W II has external dimensions of 331.0 x 204.0 x 94.0mm (13.0000-inch x 8.0000-inch x 3.6875-inch).
Polk Audio RC85i is 7mm shorter and 5mm less deeper than Klipsch R-5650-W II but it is also 17mm wider.
What's in the Box of Polk Audio RC85i?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of RC85i:
- 2 White in-wall speakers
- 2 White grilles
- 1 Cardboard Mounting Template
- Owners Manual
- Online registration sheet
- Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-5650-W II?
Here are the items that come with the R-5650-W II:
- In-wall speaker
- White metal mesh grille
- Cardboard template
- Owners Manual (En/Fr/Sp)