In this review, we will be comparing Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling and R-5502-W II, two Passive In-wall speakers from Aperion and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling and Klipsch R-5502-W II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling | Klipsch R-5502-W II |
|---|
| Brand | Aperion
United States · founded 1998 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" Horn-loaded |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" | 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-25k Hz | 46-20kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-160 Watts watts | up to 75 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 3.18kg / 7lbs | 2.95kg / 6.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10-15/16" x 10-15/16" x 6"
278.0 x 278.0 x 153.0mm | 16.3750" x 6.5000" x 3.3750"
416.0 x 166.0 x 86.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling and Klipsch R-5502-W II speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling |
Klipsch R-5502-W II |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
No way |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling and R-5502-W II are 2-way speakers.
Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-CeilingKlipsch R-5502-W II
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling |
Klipsch R-5502-W II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling features a 1" Tweeter and 1 x 8" Woofer. On the other hand, the R-5502-W II features a 1" Horn-loaded Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200 Hz.
Frequency Response
Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz whereas R-5502-W II has a frequency range of 46-20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling can go slightly deeper then the R-5502-W II's min frequency of 46Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling and R-5502-W II have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the R-5502-W II's is at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-5502-W II a more sensitive speaker compared to Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling can handle a max power of 320 watts RMS, whereas R-5502-W II has a max power handling value of 75 watts RMS, 245 watts less than the Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling features Spring post type posts and R-5502-W II has a Spring post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling's and Klipsch R-5502-W II's external dimensions. Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling has external dimensions of 278.0 x 278.0 x 153.0mm () whereas Klipsch R-5502-W II has external dimensions of 416.0 x 166.0 x 86.0mm (16.3750-inch x 6.5000-inch x 3.3750-inch).
Klipsch R-5502-W II is 112mm narrower and 67mm less deeper than Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling but it is also 138mm taller.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling needs about 198% more floor or shelf area. Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling is 67mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch R-5502-W II is 138mm taller.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling weighs 3.18kg / 7lbs and the Klipsch R-5502-W II weighs 2.95kg / 6.5lbs. This makes the Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling 8% heavier than the R-5502-W II.
Here is a comparison of how Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling and R-5502-W II's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.
Weight
All In-wall Speakers
Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-5502-W II?
Here are the items that come with the R-5502-W II:
- In-wall speaker
- White metal mesh grille
- Cardboard template
- Owners Manual (En/Fr/Sp)
 Max Input Power |
320 watts
vs
75 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
278mm
vs
416mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Base Surface Area |
142cm2
vs
425cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling |
Klipsch R-5502-W II |
| Brand |
Aperion |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
20-160 Watts watts |
up to 75 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-25k Hz |
46-20kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Horn-loaded |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2200 Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
278.0mm (10.9") |
416.0mm (16.4") |
| Width |
278.0mm (10.9") |
166.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
153.0mm (6") |
86.0mm (3.4") |
| Weight |
3.18kg (7lbs) |
2.95kg (6.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
In-wall |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
Ltd. Lifetime |
| Labor Warranty |
|
Ltd. Lifetime |
A generation apart: Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling is the newer design, against a 2015 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (45Hz vs 46Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch R-5502-W II is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling takes more power (320W vs 75W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Klipsch R-5502-W II is easier to place; Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs In-wall. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($498 vs $498 a pair). |
A Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling B Klipsch R-5502-W II
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. In a large or open-plan room, Aperion Clearus C8C Angled 8" In-Ceiling has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Klipsch R-5502-W II is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch R-5502-W II is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.