Why it's a best pick:
Unusually, in this line-up of in-wall speakers, the Polk Audio is the first in a series of products that are Internet Protocol (IP) ready. The LC265i-IP in-wall loudspeaker is the first active in-wall loudspeaker for home audio use that is powered by digital amplifiers that can be controlled through your computer, palm pilot., or mobile phone The complete system, including the speakers, resides on a local area network (LAN), just as your Computer resides on a local network which is connected to the Internet. The IP control system assigns a unique address number to each component in the system. The speakers are designed to be compatible with a variety of IP-capable network distribution systems.
The LC265i-IP is a two-and-a-half-way speaker with a single 6.5-inch woofer, a single 6.5-inch mid-woofer, and a 1-inch ring radiator tweeter mounted on a pivot so that you can angle it up to +/- 15 degrees. Uniquely, these speakers are active tri-amplified with 100 watts for the bass driver, 75 watts for the mid-woofer, and 25 watts for the tweeter. The supplied Polk SPS-1 remote power supply delivers the required 48-volt DC power supply to the amplifiers and DSP modules, which attach to the back of each speaker. An optional Net Streams SN1000 IP Card is available for an IP-controllable system. If you choose to connect the speakers to a non-networked analog audio system, you will still be able to use the POW software via a Computer connected to the USB port located on the speaker's front baffle.
Polk's proprietary Performance Optimization Wizard (POW) software is a Computer controlled DSP software suite designed for optimizing the speakers' sound quality based on their room placement, the rooms particular acoustics, and many other important and normally hidden factors that each affect loudspeaker performance enormously. The DIY procedure, which may well be better handled by a trained audio installer) will make a huge difference in the overall sound quality you experience from these speakers. The POW system works very well indeed, even when the speakers are set-up in less-than-ideal positions like a nonsymmetrical arrangement. Indeed, the POW software does a terrific job of addressing typical installation situations, such as placing one or more of the speakers in a corner, resulting in unavoidably and usually untamable boomy sound. This and so much more the POW software neutralizes almost entirely, making this one of the most customizable in-wall speaker installations in this survey.
The Polk Audio LC265i-IP speakers are a significant step forward for in-wall loudspeakers, particularly with the built-in digital power amplifiers which sound very good and eliminate long runs of analog speaker wire, a known source of installation issues with in-wall speakers. The DSP function with the POW software allows for fine-tuning of the speakers' tonal balance beyond anything our parents could every have imagined, and along with the IP controllability is way ahead of most every other speaker manufacturer. In fact, the round, ceiling-mountable Polk's LC80i-IP has very similar features, allowing for yet more and more possible house wide configurations of this IP controlled speaker system to suit your particular needs most precisely.
Manufacturer Description: Polk Audio LCi-IP Ultra High Performance In-Wall/ In-Ceiling Loudspeakers are the world's first active Internet Protocol-ready Loudspeakers. They were created for IP networked systems such as the ground-breaking NetStreams DigiLinx system but also provide vast convenience and performance benefits when used in analog systems. Integrated digital amplifiers eliminate remote amplifiers connected via hundreds of feet of lossy, performance-robbing speaker wires. The performance benefits of local amplification are nothing short of stunning. The built-in Digital Signal Processor (DSP) and supplied Room Correction Software program enable every LCi-IP speaker to be optimized for maximum performance in any room. What's more, the LCi-IP series alrea...Read Moredy comes with an award-winning reputation, because they use the same driver technologies as Polk Audio's award winning high-end LSi Series
The DSP controls the electronic crossover, frequency equalization, bass enhancement and room correction. With the Performance Optimization Wizard software optimizes each speaker for its location and room environment. Simply take a series of room dimensions, the speaker location in the room and how the speaker is configured. Input those measurements into the Room Correction Software program, and each LCi-IP is configured to deliver outstanding performance.
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