RC85i 2-Way Premium in-Wall 8" Rectangular Speakers, Set of 2 Perfect for Damp and Humid Indoor Placement - Bath, Kitchen, Covered Porches (White, Paintable Grille)

I was really impressed with how easy these were to install. The user's guide clearly walked me through the process even though these were the first in-wall speakers I've installed. It also comes with a very handy template to ensure it's a "cut once" process with no regrets (or spackle). Since there's a lip on the frame you don't need to be worried about making a perfectly smooth cut through the drywall since the rough edges are hidden. I was torn between these and the RC80i model. Both had identical tech specs on the Polk site. What sealed the deal in terms of the RC85i model is that it is a bit more shallow than the RC80i (depth of 2 and 7/8 inches for the RC85i versus 3 and 1/4 inches with the RC80i). More importantly, the tweeter assembly on the RC85i is a bit different. According to Polk, the tweeter in the 85i has a plate underneath it that helps project the sound. This is not found in the 80i. But the proof is in the sound, and these sound wonderful. I'm using them in a basement wired to a Denon AV receiver in the LR. While the sound can't compete with the Kef's I have in the LR, the Polks sound far better than I expected given the price. Very pleased! They also are very aesthetically pleasing. The grill is nicely made, and can be painted. As with installation, clear and detailed instructions on painting the grills are in the user's guide. Good sound, good looks and good price - can't ask for more! Highly recommend.

Yeah, you just can't beat these guys for the price and the sound. I use them as Atmos speakers in my home theater room. They sound great and almost disappear into a white ceiling. Super easy installation. The directional tweeters offer a nice level of sound adjustment you just won't get with a fixed tweeter. My room is on the smaller side, so I only needed a pair of them. Well worth the money. They would also work well as stand alone ceiling audio speakers.

Love, love, love these speakers. They changed my movie watching experience. It feels like I’m actually there in real life when watching movies. They sound better than the speakers at my local theater. They are an excellent value for the money as well. Being able to paint the speaker grilles makes it so I don’t even notice them. They look fantastic. They are a great value for the price. I never imagined they would sound this good at this price. They work very well. II highly recommend for them your home theater room. Very simple installation.

I bought these to install in the basement we just finished. They are mostly to play music during parties and also to hook into the tv if we have parties for the "big game" etc. so the sound can be broadcast though-out the entire basement. We pre-wired three speaker locations to cover the entire 1500 sq ft. These two speakers sound great. You walk from area to are and the sound just carries from one location to the next. The sound is consistent through-out. No loud spots / quiet spots. Turn the sound up loud (I have a high quality Dennon receiver that is probably overkill) and there is no distortion. They were very easy to install. Take the little card board template, draw your circle, drill a pilot hole, and cut it out. (I used a fine tooth saw-zaw blade by hand since we had already painted the ceiling and I didn't want it to chip/scuff the ceiling, but a jig saw would have probably done fine. Either way is ok, dry wall is easy to saw. On a ladder I used one hand to hold the speaker and the other to easily make the connections. The connecters are easy to work with one hand. I then just inserted into the ceiling, pulled the screw drive our of my pocket (don't forget to do this or you will be down the ladder with your speaker dangling from wire)... screwed in four screws that snap out and then down the little brackets that hold the speaker snug to the ceiling from inside the ceiling, and inserted the grill (which covers the speaker and the screws). Easy as can be. Another point: circles are easier to install then rectangles. If you are considering buying rectangle speakers, consider how good you are and making things square, plumb, etc. And also consider that even if you are good at it, your drywall installers, even if they worked for a good builder, may not be. So you ceiling and/or wall may not be at right angles to each other. If you install in ceiling close to a wall, or in wall close to a ceiling, you may end up with a speaker that looks crooked one way or another. And even if the walls and ceiling are all straight, it's still hard to stand on a ladder, measure the how far each corner is to your nearest reference point, set the template etc. With circles, these problems go away. Two quick wiring tips: 1. When you do the initial wiring, make sure you leave enough slack so that the wire hangs and least three feet down lower then the ceiling. It makes connecting the wire to the speaker much easier when standing on a ladder to not have to be making the connections over your head. You'd rather have it waist high. So leave enough slack, it easily tucks up into the ceiling when the speaker is installed. 2. I mentioned that I wired for three speakers. Since these come in pairs, I wanted to buy a single 3rd speaker instead of buying a second pair and having one left over. I made the mistake of buying the very similar "Polk Audio RC6s" for my third speaker without reading enough of the description or reviews. That speaker probably works fine, but it requires two sets of speaker wire, not one. I of course had one set of wire to each speaker location. This "Polk Audio RC6s" I now find out is both a left and right speaker all in one little package. So it didn't work for me. I ended up buy and second set of the product we are talking about here, and it now works perfectly. So if you do the same, either run two sets of wire or just buy yourself a second set... The set is not much more money then the single "Polk Audio RC6s" anyway. Polk Audio RC6s In-Ceiling Stereo Speaker (Single, White)

These speakers were installed in my bedroom ceiling for watching TV/movies and listening to music. I've always been a fan of Polk, and have purchased these speakers before, so I knew I would like them and bought them again. Previously, I installed these speakers in my basement with rolled craft faced insulation in the ceiling, so I had no issues with installation. My only complaint then, which I still have, are the spring loaded wire clips, I would rather see binding posts. My current bedroom has attic space above it with blown insulation, which leads to my second complaint with the speakers, they have an open air bracket/housing, which means I had to construct a cover for the speaker to keep the insulation off the back of the speaker cone. I simply scooped the insulation aside and stapled some window screen material between the ceiling joists which so far seems to have worked. It was a nuisance, but I only had to do it once. The speakers themselves were fairly easy to install. First, the grill must be removed, and I did this by holding the trim of the speakers on each side and gently twisting the two sides. This will cause the grille to pop off slightly, making it easy to simply pull it off. Then use the included template to cut a hole in the appropriate spot, loosen the mountain screws and turn the brackets inward, connect the speaker, insert the speakers, then tighten the screws. Lastly insert the speaker grill. The sound itself is fair to excellent, depending on what you are listening to. These speakers have little to no bass, I also have a polk subwoofer in my room to round out the lows. Some music seems muddy, but overall I'm pleased with these speakers. They are great for TV or movies in stereo. The tweeters are aimable, allowing you to direct the sound where you would like. Pros: -Easy to install -Good quality -Aimable tweeters Cons: -Open housing allows insulation in -Spring loaded clips for wires -No bass and sometimes muddy sound

I bought 4 of these speakers (two pair) 2 years ago (129.99/pair) with the following: 1 Sonos Connect (used: 99.00) 1 pair RC85i 2 way premium 8” speaker (199.99) One 8 Channel 4000 watt Pyle Amplifier (239.99) Connected the Sonos to the Amp aux 1 input and connected power to all speakers via channels 1 - 6. This configuration powered my first floor open concept area (zone 2) I also have a Sonos Beam connected to the TV (zone 1) Now when using the TV, I have the Beam plus 2 RC85i speakers plus 4 RC80i speakers. Total surround sound (zone 1 and 2). I can play Apple Music, YouTube, TV anything over WiFi thru Sonos, it’s great. The quality is good and power to each speaker is more than enough, I only need about 50% power from amp. 2 years ago, I bought these speakers at 1/2 the price, now that I am finishing my basement, I will do a similar configuration but with Pyle speakers. About 1/3 the current price (May 20, 2022) I would of recommended these speakers to anyone 2 years ago, but the price increase just negates that in my opinion. The installation is pretty easy, had wires pre-installed. Simply cut some Sheetrock and screw tight. The look is great, flush to the ceiling and any of the speakers have not come loose in over 2 years. Draw a floor plan to know how many speakers you need and the type of speaker. Should the price drop, please pick them up, otherwise there are other brands which are just as good for a more affordable price

Bought these from Amazon 1-1/2 years ago and had them in storage till I decided to do a little audio system in our master bathroom. Installation was very easy, even though I had to use a grinder to do the cutouts. I do not know what everyone is talking about when they complain about the six screw locks that it comes with? I found them actually very convenient and easy to work with. Once everything was installed, the sound went on and one speaker sounded amazing, BUT the other speakers tweeter was not working at all. I tested the bad tweeter on the good speakers crossover board directly, and it proved that the tweeter itself was bad. I kept the speakers in storage without ever moving them or banging them, so this is obviously a manufacturers defect. Since my Amazon warranty is obviously expired, I went online to try and purchase this tweeter, and after a long search, I found the RD0086-1 tweeter on sale for 70 DOLLARS!!! The cost of this little plastic encased tweeter is actually MORE expensive that the entire speaker brand new - WITH the tweeter included!!! So forget that option. Warrant is no good, so I guess I have to just buy another speaker altogether. But wait... to top it off, these speakers come IN PAIRS, which means I am now forced to buy TWO speakers, just because one tweeter is bad! That REALLY annoys me to no end. I am back to square one and having to make the entire purchase all over again because one plastic encased tiny tweeter is bad from the factory. The only thing on my end that was wrong was that I had to wait 1-1/2 years to do the actual install, which allowed my warranty to expire. I could not help that in this case. So, as far as the speakers goes, I have to still give it a full 5 stars for the great sound they produce for the money, the ease of installation and the great Amazon service. The fact that I got screwed in this case is I am sure an aberration, so I will not factor that in. Every great product has its day, and I guess it was my turn. I am going to reorder these again, and am sure they will work just fine this time. But for the little I have heard the one good one, it does have clear highs, deep bass for their size, and just a nice overall sound. Imagine my updated review when i get TWO speakers working together at the same time? Lol Keep you guys posted... Pete

Amazing sound quality, and a great look.