Polk Audio RC60i In-Ceiling / In-Wall Speakers (Pair, White)
by Polk Audio
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Polk Audio RC60i In-Ceiling / In-Wall Speakers (Pair, White)
Customer Review: Easy to install AND uninstall
Summary: 3 Stars
For the last 8 years I've been using a set of Polk RM6700 surround speakers and a Polk PWS303 sub to power my home theater setup. This has worked OK, but I recently got the itch to make some upgrades; and it seemed like a good idea to get in-ceiling speakers for surrounds instead of having speakers suspended from the ceiling like I had before.
Originally, I was going to buy a pair of the TC60i speakers as surrounds; but, when I saw the price of these RC60i's on Amazon, I just couldn't resist.
Once the speakers arrived, I waited until my wife took the kids to swimming lessons so I could get these installed while she was gone to surprise her (she is really happy about getting rid of the hanging speakers). Since I had already run wires when I installed the previous speakers, putting these up couldn't have been easier. I traced the included template with a pencil and then cut out the hole using a jig saw. After packing the area above the speaker with insulation, I just popped them in and screwed them down.
As a side note, I didn't have any problems with tight grills that many users have reported. They popped right off both speakers using a safety pin and went on just as easily.
Anyway, I had completely installed both speakers and cleaned up my mess before the wife and kids showed back up from swimming lessons. It was about 30 minutes before anyone realized I had even done anything:).
Unfortunately, after listening to them for a couple of days against my previous smaller RM3250 satellites - I decided that they just weren't cutting it. Honestly, these speakers don't even hold there own vs. the sats with 3.25" drivers in tiny enclosures. They sound kind of hollow with the empty space behind them. (They were installed on the first floor of a 2-story house, so they don't have empty attic above them; but there is a lot of hollow ceiling between the floors.)
Lucky for me, the uninstall went just as smoothly as the original install. I replaced these with the TC60i surrounds that I had originally been looking at and the difference is amazing. The new TC60i's are the best sounding speakers in my setup right now - although I'm not done upgrading the other speakers yet. They also balance perfectly after running through the setup on my receiver.
Overall, I would only recommend these speakers as satellites if you are using really small speakers for your center/right/left. If you ever plan to listen to music, then skip these - and I wouldn't ever use them in the front of a home theater setup. The LC60i speakers do cost more (although I found a great price on sale), but I think they are worth it when it comes to sound quality - especially for something that will be installed in the ceiling.
Customer Review: Average sound quality
Summary: 1 Stars
I'm giving these speakers a 1 star only because there are so many 5 star ratings that isn't deserved. Otherwise I'd give these speakers a 3 star.
I purchased a set of these from Amazon for a surround sound based on the many recommendations. Because they come in pairs I stopped off at the local Fry's store to buy a single center speaker to complete the set. Fry's had all of the Polk series setup in their sound room so I compared them. After listening the RC60i, and then listening to the TC60i I have to say I regret buying the RC60i. The TC60i makes these speakers sound flat and the quality approaches that of a mid quality boom box while the TC60i sounds fantastic. The salesman told me that the RC60i are Polks entry level ceiling speaker.
If you can afford the extra money and are installing into the ceiling, buy the TC60i. If you are mounting in the wall stay with the RC60i as they are not as deep.
Another consideration too is that if you are putting these in the ceiling and have blown insulation you will want to handle that somehow. I wrote Polk audio and there solution was the insulation doesn't matter but if I'm really worried about it I could put a stocking around the speaker. I was surprised with that response. It doesn't deal with the "dead" sound you get when the speaker has insulation all around it. If you clear the insulation away you defeat the purpose of having insulation in the attic. Other speaker manufacturers offer enclosures designed to fit their speaker with the correct volume and sound baffles, Polk audio does not. I also noticed that if I didn't "box" the speakers that the sound carried into the attic, out the house vents and into other rooms through the ductwork.
You will definitely want to build an enclosure to house the speakers in the attic. I did that then buried the box in insulation.
You also want to use a good twisted pair speaker wire instead of ordinary speaker wire. This eliminate the 60 hz hum that will be picked up from the 115 house wiring that is probably all over your attic. I used Monster Cable 16-Gauge In-Wall Speaker Cable UL-approved for in-wall use and THX-certified.
Check your wire run lengths and if they are longer than the spec you may want to get 12 or 14 gauge wiring.
Customer Review: For the price these do the trick - read below
Summary: 4 Stars
I got these for my whole-house audio system. Initially I installed them in each of the rooms, in the ceilings. I ran my Yahama 6-channel stereo amp through switch boxes, to the volume controls, then to the speakers. The switch boxes aren't really necessary, FYI... if you have volume controls, you can just turn the volume off in a room and that room won't draw any power. Its nice for upstairs speakers though, I can turn off my bedroom speakers without having to go up there to mess with the volume controls.
Anyways, I mounted them initially with no insulation in the floor joists. They sounded tinny and there was no bass response. I then took the time to put insulation batting in the joist surrounding the speakers, and the difference was huge. They still don't sound like bose, but they have good bass response and decent highs. The directional tweeter is a plus, you can direct it towards the middle of the room so it doesn't just put the highs to the floor below.
My volume controls are VRR-120 by Phoenix Gold, and I used two of the Monster SS4 speaker selectors. I ran my ipod and appleTV audio/video into my Onkyo amp, then ran the audio out via RCA cable to my Yamaha surround amp for whole-house power. I used the front stereo channel to push one SS4 selector, and the rear surround stereo channel to push the second SS4 selector. That gives me about 110 watts per box, which is more than enough power for 2-3 sets of ceiling speakers... I've never had a problem with not enough volume during parties. You may need to push the amp hard, but it should hold up okay for a long time.
If you have a little more power, or are only running 1-2 rooms per channel, opt for the RC80i speakers, which feature a larger 8" woofer and more power handling. Chances are though, you'll never have these as loud as you think. They're right above your head, so when they get loud it can get annoying and distracting. They get only four stars because the quality is marginal to an audiophile. To the average person like me, they sound totally acceptable for their use.
Customer Review: Easy and adequate for surrounds
Summary: 4 Stars
I wouldn't use these as mains or anything, but as inexpensive in-ceiling surround speakers they are perfect. I have an open attic above my listening area so these were even easier to install than if there was a floor above. The downside to that however is that there is no cabinet for the speaker. If you put it in a wall or in a ceiling where there is a floor above it, the wall cavity becomes the cabinet. If you put as I did backed into an attic space, you lose the resonance that a cabinet would supply unless you built one around the speaker. So, with that in mind, I've not heard these speakers properly encased, but since I am just using them for surround sound speaker, the upper mids given off by the woofer and everything from the tweeters is sufficient. Maybe someday I'll decide to box them in from behind... but I doubt I'll ever bother.
One thing I did notice however is the aimable tweeter, while it seems necessary to get the sound where you want it, doesn't really direct the treble as directly as you'd expect. It's still a domed tweeter so the sound radiates 360' around the tweeter... Aiming it just sorta maybe gives you a bit of a sweet spot.
For $100 for the pair, you can't go wrong.
Oh yeah, I did have some difficulty getting the grills off without elongating a tiny hole. They say to use a corkscrew or paper clip, stick it in a grill hole and pull the grill off. It works, but I did damage one of the tiny holes in the process. Not really noticeable, but it does sort of interrupt the smoothness of the speaker grill when the light hits it right. I understand why they did it that way - no visible mounting once the grill is in place - but maybe include a little tool in the packaging to pull the screen off without damaging it would be a nice idea.
Customer Review: Great speakers for finished basement
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently installed a few sets of these Polk speakers into our basement. One set was used in a drywalled-ceiling (in a gym) and another set was used with a drop ceiling (Armstrong 24"x24" Brighton Ceiling Panels, sold at Lowes) in the main room of our basement. The speakers were pretty easy to install in both settings and work well. I have them hooked up to a stereo for music only...no surround sound off of them.
For the drop ceiling, I would recommend these steps for a smooth install:
1) Use the included template to draw the circle on the back (gray) side of the ceiling tile.
2) I used a Dremel cutting tool to cut out the circle. Don't cut on the line, cut on the outside of the line. If you cut on the line exactly, the circle will be a shade too small and won't hold the speaker properly.
3) Once the circle is cut, put the speaker in the hole and use a screwdriver to secure it in place.
4) If you ran more than enough speaker wire, hook it up to the speaker and then put your ceiling tile back into the ceiling grid. All done!
The ceiling tiles do a great job of holding the speaker in place, with no signs of the speaker being too heavy. I didn't see the need to go purchase a special bracket that some of the other reviewers have recommended.
One more tip: at first, I didn't quite follow how the clips on the speaker were supposed to secure it to the ceiling. I kept turning the screws and didn't think I was making any progress. I'd recommend doing a practice run on just one of the clips. Don't put it in the ceiling, but use the screwdriver, and see what moves when you turn the screw. It will help you visualize how the clips work. Basically, there's a lot of turning involved to secure it to the ceiling...so don't give up!