LC265i

by Curtis, February 25, 2009

Strengths:

Amazing sound! You can pay a lot more money for floor standing towers that will give you a similar high quality experience but way more expensive. Both movies and music sound great!

Weaknesses:

None as of yet.

Review:

I normally wouldn't take the time to submit a review but I felt obligated to. I recently built a new home and wanted a setup for my media/living room . Looking to conserve space, so I wanted the nice, clean, clutter free look that in-wall/in-ceiling speakers provide. But I did not want to sacrifice quality. After months of research, I decided on a pair of LC265i's along with a LCi-C center channel, and three LC80i ceiling speakers for my rear surrounds. (6.1) Although I read all the positive reviews, I was skill quite skeptical to go with these speakers for two reasons. 1. Being an A/V tech by trade, I wasn't sure I would get the quailty sound that I wanted for my home theatre experience. (The stigma that you sacrifice quailty with in-walls) 2. Because these speakers have an nominal impedance of 4ohms I was concerned that my receiver(Pioneer Elite VSX94txh)rated at 8ohms would need an external amp to push them to there full potential. I have to say my home theatre sounds unbelievable!! No external amp needed. These babies push out such a high fidelity of sound, that when I watch a movie I just sit back and smile because acoustically they are amazing, exactly the high quality sound that I was looking for. The tweeters can be aimed to direct the motion of the sound which especially comes in handy with the 80is in the ceiling. They sound just like they are behind your ears. Listening to music is equally impressive, the highs and lows sound great! If you are skeptical about in-walls, don't be any longer. I promise you will be totally happy with these!

by Tim, August 9, 2007

Strengths:

Massive amounts of detail and clarity. Sterio imageing is spot on.

Weaknesses:

None.

Review:

I got a pair of these for my dedicated home theatre to replace some $1000 DIY floorstanders. These speakers are a lot more detailed and clear. They are simply amazing for in-walls. The tweeters are awesome with there clarity and detail. And paired with good electronics they sound even better. I just got a high end 5 channel power amp and am using a Pioneer AVR as a pre/pro and the sound is breath taking. I am hearing details in my music i have never heard before and the imaging is superb. I get chills down my spine when listening to well recorded material. I got these for 100% movie watching because my HT room is not ideal for music. But now i am finding i cant stop listening to music because these speakers have improved things so much my room actually sounds great with music now after installing these speakers.

by Keith, October 12, 2008

Strengths:

Phenomial sound both theater and music, easy install and very attractive appearance.

Weaknesses:

NONE

Review:

WOW these speakers are increadible. You will be blown away by the sound quality that these produce. I purchased 2 of these to start my 7.1 home theater system in my receintly finished basement as my wife told me no more big speakers with the kids. I was leary going to an in-wall speaker and figured I would be losing alot of sound quality. After listening to these speakers I will be purchasing 4 more (rear and surround channels) as well as the LCi-C center channel to go with them. Absolutely amazing and will rival many top end towers! Even the bass response for a "small" speaker is increadible. I am currently only using them in stereo until I get the rest of the speakers but you would be hard pressed to know there is not a center channel speaker! As for listening to music, again AMAZING!! You will hear things you never before heard in your music collection. You can waste alot more money on some big dollar towers but why would you want to?

by Erik, October 18, 2005

Strengths:

Incredibly tight clear sound at any volume level, great inwall looks, back boxes are great.

Weaknesses:

Review:

Just did a professionally installed home theater and the company used these with the inwall back boxes. Wow, the sound is like nothing I've ever heard before, tight, crisp, clear and powerful regardless of the volume level. This was one investment that I'm happy I made. I miss people's cell phones ringing, folks talking during the movie and kid's kicking me in the back of my seat but in time I'll learn to enjoy movies without all of that. If you want an amazing sound experience with great inwall looks, get the Polk LC265i's.

by Roy, October 23, 2005

Strengths:

Great sound, dynamics, resolution, detail, etc, etc. Worth every penny.

Weaknesses:

None.

Review:

I have a pair (FL/FR) of these mated with a LSiC and two RC80i's (soon to be replaced by LC80i's). These speakers have brought me back to listening to my stereo CD's. My previous speakers did not please me when listening to CD's. I also have these speakers mated to a Denon receiver with Audyssey EQ, and it choose a decently high crossover to the sub (100Hz). These speakers are absolutely phenomenal for being in-walls. I have yet to hear a pair of traditional speakers at warehouse electronic stores that compare to these. I listen to a fair amount of high-resolution music (SACD, DVD-Audio), and when I switch between SACD layers (CD and SACD stereo) I do hear a difference, which says a lot about how revealing these speakers are when mated to good electronics.

by Kevin Ford, December 16, 2005

Strengths:

Small spekers with lots of sound.

Weaknesses:

None

Review:

In the Process of building my dream system. I just bought a house that I can dedicate one room for media 25'x 20'. I built a large entertainment system off the wall, drywall with wood shelfs. I put left, right, center channel boxes that are 1 cubic foot behind the wall to mount these speakers. I have LC80I round speakers for surround and of coure the PSW 505 sub. I have never heard such good sound out of such small speakers. Crystal clear crisp sound. The sub really makes it complete with the 265's.

by Michael Schneider, October 1, 2006

Strengths:

Amazing sound, sounds great with music or movies.grills are easily painted to match wall color.

Weaknesses:

Had to have the wall custom built to accomodate the center. Used the picture on the polk audio home page for inspiration.

Review:

I have these for all 5 channels of my 5.1 home theater system. Absolutely unbelievable crispness and over very clean sound. The boxes were installed during the construction of my house and the wall custom built to accomodate the center. Worth every penny.

by Eddie Roseman, December 3, 2003

Strengths:

Very clean sound, surprising Bass and

Weaknesses:

Little pricey if you want to do large application.

Review:

Was fortunate enough to tour the Polk facility in Baltimore. At that time the 265 was demonstrated to our group. This is the only in wall I have ever heard that can compare to a bookshelf. They also offer a in wall enclosure that will further enhance its performance. The one I heard was not enclosed.

by GR, March 16, 2006

Strengths:

NONE

Weaknesses:

WHITE GRILLES. NEED SOME COLOR CHOICES

Review:

I THOUGHT I WAS GIVING UP SOME QUALITY WITH INN WALL SPEAKERS. NOT THE CASE AT ALL. I USED THESE ALL AROUND IN A 7.1 SYSTEM. THEY ARE AWESOME.

by Matteo Galbiati, March 28, 2006

Strengths:

Great sound clarity, covers low sounds too very well.

Weaknesses:

19" wide if you want to install it orizontally (in the wall) you need to cut a stud.

Review:

This is a great speaker, I got it as my center channel and can't believe the clarity of the sound.

by DAVID I, May 23, 2006

Strengths:

Nicely balanced sound. Suprisingly beefy low end reproduction.

Weaknesses:

No center channel ?? Polk needs to step up here, we need a balanced horizontal in wall center channel that will fit between studs!

Review:

You wont believe its not a floor standing speaker! Amazing sound, but why isn't there a matching horizontal oriented center channel thats less than 16" wide? Why I ask, why?

by Tom Draganovsky, January 26, 2007

Strengths:

Aimable Tweeter makes for unparalleled imaging. Incredible Base for 6.5" speakers.

Weaknesses:

No obvious choice for a Center channel surround configuration. No optional PolkAudio emblem for the speaker grill.

Review:

Simply stated, these speakers are Spectacular! I have a pair installed about 14ft. apart connected to a 20yr. old, Dual channel NAD Amp/Pre-amp. Until recently, this stereo was connected to a pair of Klipsch Forte towers and these LC265i speakers blow them away. The sound is incredibly crisp and clean and the imaging is exceptional. If you sit someone in the middle of the room, they will swear there is also a center channel speaker playing. Blind fold them and there is no way anyone would ever guess these are In-Wall speakers. I'm hearing detail in my CD's that I have never heard before.

by Angelo D Xagaras, March 1, 2007

Strengths:

Easy instal.Sound great. Reasonably priced

Weaknesses:

like to see one piece choice for new constuction instead of two piece..

Review:

Real strong bass great midrange and fantastic highs useing them for 7.1 theater on lexicon processing.Listened to multiple speakers before I made purchase. These are the best.

Wes Phillips
OnHomeTheater.com December 1, 2004

"I think it was somewhere around the time the oboe joined the piano's noble, resigned melodic line that I fell head over heels in love with the LC265i. It wasn't the perfection of the notes so much as the purity of the emotion. Lots of speakers can deliver the notes; the Polk delivered the music's soul. "

"The Polk LC265i is cool. A pair of 'em work like a dream flanking a video screen, and what they do with music is the stuff of magic."

[ Open Review ]

Home Theater Mag, January 2005

—Chris Lewis

"The oustanding imaging and stage definition continued with two-channel, high-resolution material, and the stage naturally opened up with multichannel music demos."

[ Open Review ]