In this review, we will be comparing Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker and 300 IW6 LCR, two Passive In-wall speakers from Aperion and Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker and Focal 300 IW6 LCR first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker | Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
|---|
| Brand | Aperion
United States · founded 1998 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 2" | 1" Inverted Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" | 2 x 6.5" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-35k Hz | 40-28kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 94 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-250 Watts watts | 50-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.20kg / 31.2lbs | 5.62kg / 12.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 18.5" x 15.8" x 4.4"
469.9 x 401.3 x 111.8mm | 22.5000" x 7.5000" x 4.0000"
572.0 x 191.0 x 102.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker and Focal 300 IW6 LCR 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 Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Poor |
(* 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker is a 2-way design whereas the 300 IW6 LCR is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall SpeakerFocal 300 IW6 LCR
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
2-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker features a 2" Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Woofer. On the other hand, the 300 IW6 LCR features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer.
Frequency Response
Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker has a frequency range of 65-35k Hz whereas 300 IW6 LCR has a frequency range of 40-28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the 300 IW6 LCR can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker's min frequency of 65Hz.
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
Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" 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
Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 300 IW6 LCR which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the 300 IW6 LCR's is rated at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal 300 IW6 LCR, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" 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.
Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS, whereas 300 IW6 LCR has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 350 watts less than the Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" 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 Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker features Spring post type posts and 300 IW6 LCR 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 Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker's and Focal 300 IW6 LCR's external dimensions. Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker has external dimensions of 469.9 x 401.3 x 111.8mm (18.5 x 15.8 x 4.4inch) whereas Focal 300 IW6 LCR has external dimensions of 572.0 x 191.0 x 102.0mm (22.5000-inch x 7.5000-inch x 4.0000-inch).
Focal 300 IW6 LCR is 210.3mm narrower and 9.8mm less deeper than Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker but it is also 102.1mm 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 Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker needs about 130% more floor or shelf area. Focal 300 IW6 LCR is 102mm 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 Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker weighs 14.20kg / 31.2lbs and the Focal 300 IW6 LCR weighs 5.62kg / 12.4lbs. This makes the Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker 153% heavier than the 300 IW6 LCR.
Here is a comparison of how Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker and 300 IW6 LCR's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.
Weight
All In-wall Speakers
Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker
What's in the Box of Focal 300 IW6 LCR?
Here are the items that come with the 300 IW6 LCR:
- One in-wall speaker
- 1 metal-mesh grill (white)
- 23.5
 Max Input Power |
500 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
469mm
vs
572mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
194cm2
vs
448cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
| Brand |
Aperion |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
20-250 Watts watts |
50-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
94 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
65-35k Hz |
40-28kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
2" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Inverted Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
469.9mm (18.5") |
572.0mm (22.5") |
| Width |
401.3mm (15.8") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
111.8mm (4.4") |
102.0mm (4") |
| Weight |
14.20kg (31.2lbs) |
5.62kg (12.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
In-wall |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Focal 300 IW6 LCR digs deeper - 40Hz against 65Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker is more sensitive (94dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Focal 300 IW6 LCR is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker takes more power (500W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Focal 300 IW6 LCR is easier to place; Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs In-wall. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,398 vs $2,398 a pair). |
A Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker B Focal 300 IW6 LCR
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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 65Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Aperion Theatrus T65W Dual 6.5" In-Wall Speaker the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Focal 300 IW6 LCR for a mid-size room and a large room.
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.