In this review, we will be comparing Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker and DI 5.5LCR, two Passive In-wall speakers from Aperion and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Aperion Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker and Definitive DI 5.5LCR first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Aperion Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker | Definitive DI 5.5LCR |
|---|
| Brand | Aperion
United States · founded 1998 | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" | 2 x 5.25" Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-25k Hz | 28-30kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-160 Watts watts | 10-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 3.18kg / 7lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.78" x 10.04" x 4.65"
350.0 x 255.0 x 118.1mm | 14.3750" x 6.4375" x 3.6250"
366.0 x 164.0 x 93.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Aperion Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker and Definitive DI 5.5LCR 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 C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker |
Definitive DI 5.5LCR |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Average |
(* 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 C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker and DI 5.5LCR are 2-way speakers.
Aperion Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall SpeakerDefinitive DI 5.5LCR
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 C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker |
Definitive DI 5.5LCR |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker features a 1" Tweeter and 1 x 8" Woofer. On the other hand, the DI 5.5LCR features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polymer Woofer.
Frequency Response
Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz whereas DI 5.5LCR has a frequency range of 28-30kHz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the DI 5.5LCR can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker's min frequency of 45Hz.
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 C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker
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 C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker and DI 5.5LCR have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the DI 5.5LCR's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Aperion Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker a more sensitive speaker compared to Definitive DI 5.5LCR, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker
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 C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker can handle a max power of 320 watts RMS, whereas DI 5.5LCR has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker.
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 C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker features Spring clip type posts and DI 5.5LCR has a Spring clip 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 C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker's and Definitive DI 5.5LCR's external dimensions. Aperion Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker has external dimensions of 350.0 x 255.0 x 118.1mm (13.78 x 10.04 x 4.65inch) whereas Definitive DI 5.5LCR has external dimensions of 366.0 x 164.0 x 93.0mm (14.3750-inch x 6.4375-inch x 3.6250-inch).
Definitive DI 5.5LCR is 91mm narrower and 25.1mm less deeper than Aperion Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker but it is also 16mm 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 C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker needs about 97% more floor or shelf area. Aperion Clearus C8W 2-Way 8" In-Wall Speaker is 25mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Definitive DI 5.5LCR is 16mm taller.
What's in the Box of Definitive DI 5.5LCR?
Here are the items that come with the DI 5.5LCR: