Polk Audio RT55 Bookshelf Speakers – Real Wood, 200W

$283.00

Two 6.5-inch Dynamic Balance drivers and a 1-inch trilaminate dome tweeter per cabinet, 91 dB sensitive and rated 20 to 200 watts into 8 ohms. Real wood veneer in black, with dual 5-way binding posts for bi-wiring or bi-amping, 35 lbs each. The grilles have been freshly re-clothed. Condition very good.

1 in stock

Description

Polk Audio RT55 Bookshelf Speakers – Real Wood, 200W

Description
Polk Audio’s RT55 is a classic large bookshelf / standmount design from the RT series, combining real wood veneer cabinetry with dual 6.5″ Dynamic Balance drivers and a 1″ trilaminate dome tweeter for powerful, full-range sound from a compact footprint. This pair is in very good condition, finished in black real wood veneer, and features freshly re-clothed grilles that give them a clean, updated look while preserving their original style.

Each RT55 uses two 6.5″ (165 mm) Dynamic Balance mid/bass drivers to deliver impressive bass weight and punch for a bookshelf design, supported by a carefully tuned bass-reflex enclosure with front and rear porting to control resonance and extension. The 1″ (25 mm) Dynamic Balance trilaminate dome tweeter provides smooth, extended highs with good detail and a wide listening window, making these speakers equally at home with music and home theater use.

With an overall frequency response rated from 35 Hz to 26 kHz (-3 dB from 47 Hz to 25 kHz), the RT55 offers genuine full-range performance for small to medium rooms, often making a separate subwoofer optional for music. Sensitivity is a healthy 91 dB (1 W / 1 m) and nominal impedance is 8 ohms, so they’re easy to drive yet capable of handling up to 200 watts of clean amplifier power. Dual sets of 5-way binding posts on the rear allow for bi-wiring or bi-amping if desired.

Cosmetic condition is very good overall. The real wood veneer cabinets show only light signs of use, with no major chips or deep scratches, and the new grille cloth gives the front view a fresh, tidy appearance. All drivers, ports, and binding posts are in good shape, and the pair has been tested to confirm proper operation across the full frequency range.

Key Specifications – Polk Audio RT55:

Type: 2-way, large bookshelf / standmount loudspeaker (all drivers shielded)

Driver complement:
– 2 × 6.5″ (165 mm) Dynamic Balance mid/bass drivers
– 1 × 1″ (25 mm) Dynamic Balance trilaminate dome tweeter

Overall frequency response: 35 Hz – 26 kHz

-3 dB limits: 47 Hz – 25 kHz

Crossover topology:
– 2nd-order low-pass at 2 kHz
– 2nd-order high-pass at 2 kHz

Nominal impedance: 8 ohms

Recommended amplifier power: 20 – 200 W RMS

Sensitivity: 91 dB (1 W / 1 m)

Inputs: Dual 5-way binding posts (bi-wire / bi-amp capable)

Finish: Real wood veneer (black)

Dimensions (W x H x D): 9.5 x 21.1 x 14.4 inches (24.2 x 53.7 x 36.3 cm)

Weight: Approximately 35 lbs (15.9 kg) each

A well-regarded, real-wood Polk RT series bookshelf design with dual 6.5″ drivers, 200 W power handling, and freshly re-clothed grilles, these RT55s offer big, dynamic sound and classic styling for music and home theater systems.

Backed by Radique Audio’s 90-day warranty and our perpetual trade-back policy, you can purchase with confidence.

$283.00
Additional information
Weight72 lbs
Dimensions18.4 × 25 × 25.1 in
About brand
Polk Audio at Radique
New Polk Audio, too, quoted direct from the Canadian distributor:
We service Polk, too. Bring us your own Polk speakers and subwoofers for repair, servicing or restoration (speakers up to 80 lbs each), with a 90-day warranty on the work. See our Audio Service page

Polk Audio began in Baltimore in 1972, founded by Matthew Polk, George Klopfer and Sandy Gross. Its SDA speakers of the 1980s used a cable between the left and right speakers to widen the stereo image. We carry Polk towers, bookshelf speakers, centre channels and subwoofers. We've had more than 180 Polk listings so far, covering more than 80 different models. Every used Polk here is inspected, tested and serviced as required, then photographed in-house and covered by our Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty and Perpetual Trade-Back Program. Looking for new Polk? We also quote new Polk Audio direct from the Canadian distributor, with free shipping within Canada: request a quote below. Don't see the model you want? Tell us on First Dibs and we'll email you when one arrives.

Our five best-selling Polk models so far: the RTi10 towers, the PSW10 and PSW125 subwoofers, the RTi4 bookshelf speakers and the CSi3 centre.

The Polk story, 1972 to today

Matthew Polk, George Klopfer and Sandy Gross, graduates of Johns Hopkins, founded Polk Audio in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1972. The Monitor 7 of 1974 was their first model to succeed, and the Monitor 10 followed in 1976.

SDA. In 1984 Polk introduced SDA (Stereo Dimensional Array). A cable between the left and right speakers lets each one cancel the sound that crosses over to the wrong ear, for a wider stereo image.

Growth. Polk went public in 1986 and moved to new premises in Baltimore. It began moving manufacturing to Tijuana, Mexico, in 1988, and by 2012 Stereophile reported that Polk designed in the US and built in China.

New owners. Directed Electronics agreed to buy Polk in 2006. Polk later became part of Sound United, Masimo bought Sound United in 2022, and in September 2025 HARMAN, a Samsung company, completed its purchase of Sound United. The 2018 Legend series brought SDA back.

Which Polk is which?

Monitor (1970s to early 1990s): the Monitor 4, 5, 7, 10 and 12, with A, B and C revisions.

SDA (1984 to about 1991): the SDA-1 and SDA-2 families, CRS, SRS and the later "TL" models.

RTA (1979 to 1992): towers such as the RTA 11t, with two woofers and two passive radiators.

RT and RTi (2001 onward): Polk's lower-priced lines. Our best-selling RTi10 towers and RTi4 bookshelf speakers come from here.

CSi centres and PSW subwoofers: the CSi3 centre and the PSW10 and PSW125 subwoofers are among the Polks we sell most.

LSi (about 2001 to 2010) and LSiM (2011): Polk's flagship lines of that decade, followed by Signature (2016), Legend (2018) and Reserve (2021).

Buying used Polk: what to check

SDA cable. SDA speakers need the interconnect cable between them for the SDA effect, and early SDA models need a common-ground amplifier. Make sure the cable comes with the pair.

Tweeters. Owners report that some SL3000 tweeters on the 1989 to 1991 SDA TL models leaked their ferrofluid and failed, and that Monitor-series pairs may carry mismatched factory or replacement tweeters. Check that every tweeter plays.

Surrounds. Some early Polks used foam surrounds, which rot with age; later models such as the RTA 11t and LSiM use rubber. Press gently on each woofer surround.

Everything we list is inspected, tested and serviced as required here, and comes with our warranty.