In this review, we will be comparing Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker and Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker, two Passive In-wall speakers by Aperion.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Aperion Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker and Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Aperion Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker | Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker |
|---|
| Brand | Aperion
United States · founded 1998 | Aperion
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 2" | 2" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" | 2 x 8" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-35k Hz | 60-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 94 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-350 Watts watts | 20-350 Watts watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.19kg / 40lbs | 18.33kg / 40.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 21.3" x 17.3" x 5.2"
541.0 x 439.4 x 132.1mm | 34.7" x 11" x 5.1"
881.4 x 279.4 x 129.5mm |
|---|
What size room are the Aperion Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker and Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker 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 T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker |
Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker |
| 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 Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker and Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker are 2-way speakers.
Aperion Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall SpeakerAperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker
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 Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker |
Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
2-inch
|
2-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker features a 2" Tweeter and 2 x 8" Woofer. On the other hand, the Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker features a 2" Tweeter and 2 x 8" Woofer.
Frequency Response
Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker and Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker has exactly the same frequency range of 60-35k Hz.
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 T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker
Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR 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 T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker and Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 94 dB.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker and the Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker
Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR 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 T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker and Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker have the same power range of 20-350 Watts watts.
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 T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker
Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker features Binding post type posts and Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker has a Binding 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 T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker's and Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker's external dimensions. Aperion Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker has external dimensions of 541.0 x 439.4 x 132.1mm (21.3 x 17.3 x 5.2inch) whereas Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker has external dimensions of 881.4 x 279.4 x 129.5mm (34.7 x 11 x 5.1inch).
Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker is 160mm narrower and 2.6mm less deeper than Aperion Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker but it is also 340.4mm 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 T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker needs about 60% more floor or shelf area. Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker is 340mm 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 T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker weighs 18.19kg / 40lbs and the Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker weighs 18.33kg / 40.3lbs. This makes the Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker 1% heavier than the Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker.
Here is a comparison of how Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker and Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.
Weight
All In-wall Speakers
Aperion Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker
Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker
 Height |
541mm
vs
881mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
361cm2
vs
580cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Aperion Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker |
Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker |
| Brand |
Aperion |
Aperion |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
20-350 Watts watts |
20-350 Watts watts |
| Sensitivity |
94 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
60-35k Hz |
60-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
|
| Tweeter Size |
2" |
2" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
541.0mm (21.3") |
881.4mm (34.7") |
| Width |
439.4mm (17.3") |
279.4mm (11") |
| Depth |
132.1mm (5.2") |
129.5mm (5.1") |
| Weight |
18.19kg (40lbs) |
18.33kg (40.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Both are Aperion, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (60Hz vs 60Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (94dB vs 94dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (700W vs 700W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($3,098 vs $3,098 a pair). |
A Aperion Theatrus T80W Dual 8" In-Wall Speaker B Aperion Theatrus T80SL Dual 8" Slim Stack On-Wall LCR Speaker
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.
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.