In this review, we will be comparing CWM362 and W165, two Passive In-wall speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W CWM362 and Monitor Audio W165 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W CWM362 | Monitor Audio W165 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" Polypropylene | 6.5" Metal Matrix Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-30kHz | 60-25kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 10-80 watts | 20-65 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 2.22kg / 4.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.0000" x 7.2500" x 3.0000"
280.0 x 185.0 x 77.0mm | 13.0625" x 8.3750" x 3.6250"
332.0 x 213.0 x 93.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W CWM362 and Monitor Audio W165 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* |
B&W CWM362 |
Monitor Audio W165 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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.
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Drivers
Both CWM362 and W165 are 2-way speakers.
B&W CWM362Monitor Audio W165
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
B&W CWM362 |
Monitor Audio W165 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
CWM362 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the W165 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Metal Matrix Polymer Woofer.
Frequency Response
CWM362 has a frequency range of 50-30kHz whereas W165 has a frequency range of 60-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the CWM362 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the W165's min frequency of 60Hz.
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
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
CWM362 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the W165 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. CWM362 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the W165's is rated at 88.5 dB.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
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.
CWM362 can handle a max power of 80 watts RMS, whereas W165 has a max power handling value of 65 watts RMS, 15 watts less than the CWM362.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
CWM362 features Spring post type posts and W165 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 B&W CWM362's and Monitor Audio W165's external dimensions. B&W CWM362 has external dimensions of 280.0 x 185.0 x 77.0mm (11.0000-inch x 7.2500-inch x 3.0000-inch) whereas Monitor Audio W165 has external dimensions of 332.0 x 213.0 x 93.0mm (13.0625-inch x 8.3750-inch x 3.6250-inch).
Monitor Audio W165 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 28mm wider, 52mm taller and 16mm deeper than B&W CWM362.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W CWM362 and Monitor Audio W165 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W CWM362 and Monitor Audio W165 Size and External Dimensions
What's in the Box of B&W CWM362?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of CWM362:
- 2 In-wall loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Paint masks
- Quick Start Guide
- Wall Mount Cut-Out Template
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio W165?
Here are the items that come with the W165:
- In-wall speaker
- Grille
- Paint skim
- Installation Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Cutout Template