Name: Polk Audio MC80
Brand: Polk Audio
SKU: 107MC80
Price: 199.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.5 (119 reviews)

Overview

by Crutchfield's

Fill your room with great sound, without sacrificing an inch of floor space to bulky speakers. Polk's MC80 speakers install flush in your ceiling for a sleek, décor-friendly look. The 3/4" aimable tweeter lets you direct the high-frequencies where you like, so you can fine-tune your system's sound. The 8" woofer provides rich, smooth lows. And this speaker's moisture-resistant design means you can use it in your kitchen, bathroom, or even under the eaves outside.

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Building a system

Install a pair of the MC80s for stereo music listening. These speakers can also work as the fronts, center, and surrounds in a surround sound system. The MC80s are voice-matched with the other MC in-wall and in-ceiling speakers, so you can mix and match.

An optional in-ceiling bracket is recommended for installing the MC80 speaker in a home with new construction.

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Most speakers don't include any. Learn more about in-wall wiring.
Shop our selection of in-wall speaker wire.

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Product highlights:

frequency response 50-20,000 Hz (-3dB)
3/4" aimable silk dome tweeter
8" Dynamic Balance® woofer
handles up to 100 watts
sensitivity 92 dB
8-ohm impedance
paintable white matte grille
durable, moisture-resistant construction
cutout diameter: 9-3/8"
frame diameter: 10-1/2"
mounting depth: 4-1/16"
warranty: lifetime
Our 60-day money-back guarantee
MFR # AW0580-A

What's in the box:

Polk Audio MC80 owner's manual

White in-ceiling speaker
White grille
Cardboard template
Plastic paint shield
Owner's Manual (Eng/Fre/Spa)
Online registration card

Reviews

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Polk Audio MC80 reviews

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119 reviews

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Details

Researched by Crutchfield's Stacey B.

Features & specs

Features
Quantity in Package	Single
Tweeter	Soft-Dome
Aimable Tweeter	Yes
Woofer Composition	Composite
Woofer Surround	Rubber
Connector Type	Spring clip
Bi-Amp Inputs	No
Built-in Back-box	No
Moisture Resistance
Indoor (Moisture-resistant)	Yes
Outdoor (Partial Exposure)	No
Outdoor (Full Exposure)	No
Specs
Tweeter Size	0.75
Midrange Size	N/A
Speaker Shape	Round
Woofer Size	8
Cutout Width	9.375
Cutout Height	9.375
Mounting Depth	4.0625
Power Range (Watts)	20-100
Sensitivity	92 dB
Impedance (Ohms)	8
Frequency Response	50-20kHz
Parts Warranty	Lifetime
Labor Warranty	Lifetime

Product Research

Features

MC Series: The Polk Audio MC Series in-wall/in-ceiling loudspeakers offer great built-in sound for multi-room listening. The MC Series features Dynamic Balance driver technology, an aimable tweeter, and polymer cone woofers, which ensures your music always sounds crisp and clear. The MC Series also uses infinite baffle tuning for excellent bass response, so you can install them in virtually any kind of wall.

Dynamic Balance Technology: Laser imaging technology allows Polk Audio engineers to see the entire vibrating surface of a driver and tweeter; they can actually see the resonance develop on the speaker cones-resonance that is the root cause of loudspeaker distortion. Being able to see the resonance develop, they then determine the Dynamic Balance of high-tech materials, geometry and construction that together effectively tune out the offending resonance. Exclusive Dynamic Balance Composite Material Technology delivers sound that is effortlessly clean and clear, even at lifelike volume levels.

Woofer: The Polk Audio MC80 in-ceiling speaker features a 8.0" Dynamic Balance Polymer Composite Cone for smooth wide-range response with low distortion. The polymer composite cone provides excellent damping and bass response while resisting deterioration. For a smoother response and improved durability, each woofer uses a rubber surround.

Tweeter: The MC80 in-ceiling speaker uses a 3/4" aimable silk dome tweeter with neodymium magnet for clear, detailed highs and excellent imaging even for off-axis listening positions. Aiming the tweeter toward your listening position improves imaging and detail.

Infinite Baffle Tuning: Infinite Baffle Tuning uses the virtual enclosure of in-wall/in-ceiling space for superior bass response.

Moisture-resistant: Durable, moisture-resistant materials allow you to install the speakers in bathrooms, kitchens, even under the eaves of an enclosed porch. (The speaker is not recommended for exposed outdoor use.)

Timbre-matched: The MC Series speakers are timbre matched to Polk Audio's freestanding speakers, such as the Polk Monitor, TSi, and OWM series; just in case you need in-wall/in-ceiling surround speakers to match your freestanding fronts.

Installation: The round shape and flush-design allow the MC80 to mimic the look of a recessed lighting fixture. Each speaker requires a cutout diameter of 9.375" and a depth of 4.0625" behind the drywall. Each speaker frame has a 10.5" diameter. Once the holes are cut, each speaker is placed in the opening and the Rotating Cams are tightened, allowing you to secure each speaker to the drywall without any extra assembly. The cam extends 1.75" deep from the mounting surface of the speaker and will accommodate up to 1.125" drywall thickness. When the cams are rotated, each extends 0.875" beyond the 9.375" cutout diameter. If you will not be mounting these speakers in drywall, make sure the wall or ceiling material can safely support the weight of the speakers before installation; each speaker weighs approximately 3.5 pounds.

Paintable: The grille and flange can be painted, allowing these speakers to match any decor.

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Q&A

17 questions already asked

Can you mount these to metal. Thinking about getting them for my garage in building. And how many would you recommend for a 36x48? And do they come individually or as a set.

[ Sunny Aug 05, 2022 ]

1 answer

This fantastic Polk MC80 is sold as a single, Dylan. These can sound great almost anywhere too! You could probably mount these to metal, but the sound would suffer. Do you have any depth behind the metal? Check out this Dynabox in the link below, this creates a rubberized and treated enclosure behind the speaker. If you have to mount to metal this will make a huge improvement on the sound if you can fit it. Four MC80's is a good spread in your space if you just need moderate volume sound, but you could consider 6 or 8 if you have the space and want to crank it up over the sound of cut/grind/weld etc. https://www.crutchfield.com/p_15450306/Dynamat-DynaBox.html

[ Bo Aug 05, 2022 ] Staff

can these be installed in the ceiling of an outdoor patio? Chicago, IL

[ MATTHEW Jun 07, 2021 ]

1 answer

The Polk Audio MC80 is moisture resistant and be can installed under the eaves of a patio or a covered porch.

[ ALLISON Jun 22, 2021 ] Staff

Bluetooth compatible?

[ Milly Apr 10, 2021 ]

2 answers

No, this is a wired speaker. You would need to connect it to a source that can connect via bluetooth.

[ ROWLAND May 03, 2021 ]

[ James May 01, 2021 ]

These are ok for use with the Sonos amp?

[ JEREMY Mar 13, 2021 ]

2 answers

Yes, I am using them with the Sonos amp and they work extremely well.

[ ROWLAND Mar 14, 2021 ]

Yes work great.

[ JOHN Mar 13, 2021 ]

My ceiling has insulation blown in And packed tight. It's pre wired, but want to know how to keep the loose insulation away. Is there a cover for the back or an enclosed speaker option?

[ ERIC Nov 20, 2020 ]

2 answers

Back boxes can also be installed to keep the insulation and other dirt particles off the back of the speaker. Currently, this Klipsch box can work with these speakers: www.crutchfield.com/p_714ME800C/item.html

[ JASON Nov 28, 2020 ] Staff

My contractor use felt fabric and just laid it over the back of the magnet and speaker.Enter an answer to this question.

[ DAYNE Nov 24, 2020 ]

What do i need to hook these to a hdmi plug on my tv?

[ JASON May 16, 2020 ]

2 answers

They make a box called Fosi amplifier TPA3116 mini power amplifier this has a volume control and a toggle switch to turn it on and off. I have my TV hooked to the speaker in my bathroom. It can be found on the internet. Hope this helps you.

[ George J. May 17, 2020 ]

An audio/video amp/receiver. Without something to boost the audio, they would be useless unless your TV somehow uses an HDMI output to send audio to red/black component cables (very unlikely). Good luck!

[ PAUL May 16, 2020 ]

Is this a dual input stereo speaker? (re: left and right)

[ Ken Jan 05, 2020 ]

4 answers

Ken, You need 2 speakers, one for left and one for right. "Dual" input speakers provide the ability for separating frequencies from the amp and requires 2 sets of speaker wire. Not sure you would result in a noticeable difference. I Purchased the Polk speakers for the Top Front and Top Rear ceiling Channels in a 11.2 Dolby Atmos home theater. Receiver is a Denon AVR X6400 12.2 Dolby Atmos surround. Man speakers are Klipsch and the Polk speakers do a great job in the ceiling.

[ Leland Jan 05, 2020 ]

No, just a normal speaker. I used 5 in the ceiling for 5.1 surround

[ James Jan 05, 2020 ]

This is a mono speaker. It only has one input.

[ PAUL Jan 05, 2020 ]

No. It's a single channel speaker. You need 2 for stereo, one for the left channel and one for the right channel.

[ JIM Jan 05, 2020 ]

I'm installing these in the ceiling of my house. I see that they don't have a back box. How should I go about keeping insulation out of them? Does anyone make some sort of box to put behind them? Is the sound quality better with a box behind them?

[ Jason Dec 07, 2019 ]

2 answers

I installed these in my ceiling without a box behind these having the same concern for sound quality. Was amazed to find that the quality of sound is excellent. I did ensure that the insulation was cut/moved back so as not to fall into the back of the speaker. However I did not install any type of box behind the speakers and based on the sound quality, I don't think it's necessary.

[ ALLAN Dec 08, 2019 ]

I have solid foam insulation above, so it wasn't an issue. A box is fine, but if you have nothing to which the box could be secured, you risk rattles, which are the worst. If you have paper backed fiberglass insulation above, I'd just cut a small hole in it and remove the part that would have touched the speaker. If you have loose material as insulation, it will take a bit more. Do you have attic access above? If so, a small piece of plywood could be installed on the trusses above where you plan for the speaker to be, then put the insulation that was up against the ceiling drywall on top of the plywood. It would be like a little insulation umbrella over the speaker.

[ MARCUS Dec 07, 2019 ]

Can this be mounted in the ceiling of a steam shower?

[ Stephen Jun 12, 2018 ]

1 answer

NOT to my knowledge... I have 6 interior and 2 exterior and all are very good

[ Dave Jun 16, 2018 ]

What ambient temperature range will these speakers work in? Will high and low ambient temperatures reduce the performance and life expectancy? I would be installing these is a ceiling to where the would be exposed to whatever the attic temperature is at, slightly concerned.

[ JR Nov 25, 2017 ]

2 answers

I have 4 of these installed in my attic / ceiling in Northern CA. While I cannot give you the ambient temps that the attic gets to, I can say that I have had no issues in the going on three years I have had them installed. Our outside highs in the summer are highs in the mid to high 90's F, I hope that helps. I really like these speakers and hope you find them as pleasurable as I do.

[ Richard Nov 28, 2017 ]

I installed mine in a basement ceiling. I would hesitate a little a with the heat of an attic in a summer could cause some premature longevity concerns. You would also want to make sure there are some sort of barrier around the speaker from the blow in insulation if it has some

[ JOHN Nov 28, 2017 ]

Where could I find a replacement grille? I damaged two beyond being usable during an install in my deck ceiling.

[ RUSSELL L Oct 07, 2017 ]

1 answer

You can try contacting Polk Audio directly. You can reach their Customer & Tech support department by dialing: 800-377-7655

[ Ryan Oct 11, 2017 ] Staff

Can you mount these on a 1" surface. I have 1/2 plywood and then sheetrock?

[ frank Mar 19, 2017 ]

4 answers

These are recessed speakers, not surface mounted. You need about a 4" cavity behind the face of the Sheetrock to install.

[ Charles Mar 21, 2017 ]

You should be able to, we have them mounted on half inch pvc panels. But there is a lot of travel on the mounting clamps. If you look in the specs it Tells you the cams will extend 1.75". With a drywall thickness of 1.125"

[ James Mar 21, 2017 ]

I don't believe you can. I think you need 4-6" of depth.

[ edward Mar 20, 2017 ]

Yes, there is enough room between the screw and the tab

[ gustavo Mar 20, 2017 ]

I want to get speakers in the ceiling of my outdoor patio but how do I prevent the speaker from going dead on me? Or is that not a concern

[ Jeff Mar 12, 2017 ]

2 answers

The Polk speaker has done nothing but impress me. It was an excellent choice!!!

[ Jonathan Mar 14, 2017 ]

There remodel speakers that can be removed anytime

[ TYLER Mar 13, 2017 ]

I'm installing these in massage rooms. If I'm simply playing low ambient sound do I need to install two speakers or can I just install one?

[ Michelle Oct 09, 2016 ]

5 answers

If it is a small room, one of this speaker should be OK.

[ Jenny Oct 12, 2016 ]

Hi Michelle, almost all music today is "stereo," that is, there are two separate channels (signals) recorded. When playing the music, the two channels are sent separately to two speakers, a "left" and a "right." If you use only one speaker, you will only hear one channel and will be missing all of the music that is meant for the other speaker. The only way around this is if you have an amplifier that can combine to the two channels (two signals) into one channel/signal at the amplifier before sending the signal to your speaker. If you do not have such an amplifier, you will probably want two of these speakers. I hope that helps. Sincerely, Eric

[ ERIC Oct 10, 2016 ]

Hi Michelle, For good sound you need at least 2 speakers, one for the left channel and one fir the right. BTW I have 4 in each room plus a subwoofer, though my rooms are large.

[ STEVEN Oct 10, 2016 ]

Hi Michele - It would depend on the size of the room. But I think 1 would be sufficent. However I like the spa and go often, and most times in the single massage rooms there is only one speaker in the ceiling.

[ Hillary Oct 10, 2016 ]

In my opinion, in a small room one speaker will be just fine.

[ Travis Oct 10, 2016 ]

Any drop ceiling brackets to fit these Polk audio mc80s ?

[ Tiffany Feb 18, 2016 ]

2 answers

Is this true? Won't the ceiling tile sag due to the weight of the speaker? If not true, what type of bracket is necessary?

[ Michael Jun 13, 2017 ]

No brackets are necessary. You just cut a hole in the ceiling tile, using the template packaged with the speaker. The speaker drops in from the top side of the ceiling tile and clamps to the tile in the same way that "old work" type electrical junction boxes clamp to drywall.

[ JOHN F. Feb 20, 2016 ]

Are these bluetooth speakers?

[ Lee Sep 08, 2015 ]

1 answer

They are not. These speakers would require connection to an amplifier.

[ Jeff Sep 09, 2015 ] Staff

Looking at these speakers for the fronts and rears as surround sound speakers for a 5.1 system. Am not sure what to use as a center channel yet but was wondering if these work as good as they say? Also wondering if I should use these or the RCi's if anyone has used both.

[ DAVID Nov 28, 2013 ]

5 answers

Thanks Rodolfo, I am taking it that you like them.

[ DAVID Dec 07, 2013 ]

hang them up

[ RODOLFFO Dec 07, 2013 ]

Thanks for the input Scott, I really appreciate it

[ DAVID Nov 29, 2013 ]

I have been using rhem as part of a whole house, in ceiling, speaker system. Good clarity and bass (almost too much bass if you listen to hip-hop like my kids). I have no experience using them as part of a movie surround sound set-up, but I would not be afraid of them.

[ SCOTT Nov 29, 2013 ]

These are really fantastic speakers. I actually use one for center channel in a ceiling installation. The product is wonderful. I couldn't be happier

[ SCOTTH Nov 29, 2013 ]

SHOW MORESHOW LESS