B&W CWM362 vs Revel W253L Comparison

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B&W CWM362

Passive In-wall | 50-30kHz

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Revel W253L

Passive In-wall | 55-18kHz

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B&W CWM362

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Revel W253L

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B&W CWM362

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Revel W253L

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B&W CWM362 vs Revel W253L Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing CWM362 and W253L, two Passive In-wall speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Revel.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of B&W CWM362 and Revel W253L first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	B&W CWM362	Revel W253L
Brand	Bowers Wilkins United Kingdom · founded 1966	Revel United States · founded 1996
Design	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1" Soft-Dome	1" Hard-Dome
Woofer	6" Polypropylene	2 x 5.25" Aluminum
Frequency response	50-30kHz	55-18kHz
Sensitivity	89 dB	91 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Power range	10-80 watts	10-130 watts
Weight	—	2.54kg / 5.6lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	11.0000" x 7.2500" x 3.0000" 280.0 x 185.0 x 77.0mm	14.1250" x 6.4375" x 3.4375" 359.0 x 164.0 x 88.0mm

What size room are the B&W CWM362 and Revel W253L 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	Revel W253L
Near-field	Average	Poor
Small Room	Good	Average
Mid-size Room	Average	Good
Large Room	Poor	Average
Very Large Room	Bad	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

Both CWM362 and W253L are 2-way speakers.

B&W CWM362

Revel W253L

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	Revel W253L
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x 6-inch	2 x 5.25-inch

CWM362 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the W253L features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer.

Frequency Response

CWM362 has a frequency range of 50-30kHz whereas W253L has a frequency range of 55-18kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the CWM362 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the W253L's min frequency of 55Hz.

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

CWM362

W253L

Min

Average

Median

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 and W253L have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. CWM362 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the W253L's is at 91 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Revel W253L a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W CWM362, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

In-wall Speakers

CWM362

W253L

Min

Average

Median

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.

W253L can handle a max power of 130 watts RMS, whereas CWM362 has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the W253L.

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.

Amplifier - change this

Distance

Playing as

B&W CWM362

Revel W253L

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

CWM362 features Spring clip type posts and W253L 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 B&W CWM362's and Revel W253L'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 Revel W253L has external dimensions of 359.0 x 164.0 x 88.0mm (14.1250-inch x 6.4375-inch x 3.4375-inch).

B&W CWM362 is 79mm shorter and 11mm less deeper than Revel W253L but it is also 21mm wider.

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.

Near-identical footprints. Revel W253L is 79mm taller.

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 Revel W253L?

Here are the items that come with the W253L:

In-wall loudspeaker
Grille
Scrim cloth
Cutout template
Instruction Manual

Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins Flexible Series CWM362 over Revel W253L

Woofer Size	6 inches vs 5.25 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	50 Hz vs 55 Hz	Generates deeper bass
High Frequency Response	30k Hz vs 18k Hz	Generates higher frequency
Height	280mm vs 359mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	142cm² vs 144cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	520USD vs 660USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose Revel W253L over Bowers & Wilkins Flexible Series CWM362

Max Input Power	130 watts vs 80 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Sensitivity	91 dB vs 89 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Number of Woofers	2 vs 1	More woofers

B&W CWM362 vs Revel W253L Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Bowers & Wilkins Flexible Series CWM362	Revel W253L
Brand	Bowers Wilkins	Revel
Speaker Type	Passive In-wall Speaker	Passive In-wall Speaker
Power Range	10-80 watts	10-130 watts
Sensitivity	89 dB	91 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Frequency Response	50-30kHz	55-18kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	2
Woofer Size	6"	5.25"
Woofer Composition	Polypropylene	Aluminum
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Soft-Dome	Hard-Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Physical Specs
Height	280.0mm (11")	359.0mm (14.1")
Width	185.0mm (7.3")	164.0mm (6.5")
Depth	77.0mm (3")	88.0mm (3.5")
Weight	n/a	2.54kg (5.6lbs)
Enclosure	In-wall	In-wall
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	No	No
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	Lifetime
Labor Warranty	5 Years	Lifetime

Verdict

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	A	B&W CWM362 digs deeper - 50Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out.
Amplifier needs	B	Revel W253L is more sensitive (91dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier.
Headroom	B	Revel W253L takes more power (130W vs 80W) - more in hand in a big room.
Size	depends	B&W CWM362 is easier to place; Revel W253L is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Expandability	depends	Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Revel W253L sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later.
Price	A	B&W CWM362 is cheaper - $520 against $660, about 21% less.

A B&W CWM362 B Revel W253L
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?

The usual trade-off: Revel W253L measures better, B&W CWM362 costs about about 27% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate B&W CWM362 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Revel W253L 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.