In this review, we will be comparing CWM663 and W280-IDC, two Passive In-wall speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W CWM663 and Monitor Audio W280-IDC first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W CWM663 | Monitor Audio W280-IDC |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" Kevlar | 8" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-50kHz | 45-30kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.0000" x 7.2500" x 3.7500"
280.0 x 185.0 x 96.0mm | 15.2500" x 9.1875" x 3.6875"
388.0 x 234.0 x 94.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W CWM663 and Monitor Audio W280-IDC 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 CWM663 |
Monitor Audio W280-IDC |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 CWM663 is a 2-way design whereas the W280-IDC 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.
B&W CWM663Monitor Audio W280-IDC
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 CWM663 |
Monitor Audio W280-IDC |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
CWM663 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the W280-IDC features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 1 x 8" C-CAM Woofer.
Frequency Response
CWM663 has a frequency range of 45-50kHz whereas W280-IDC has a frequency range of 45-30kHz.
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
CWM663 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the W280-IDC which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. CWM663 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the W280-IDC's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio W280-IDC a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W CWM663, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
CWM663 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas W280-IDC has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the CWM663.
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
CWM663 features Spring post type posts and W280-IDC 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 CWM663's and Monitor Audio W280-IDC's external dimensions. B&W CWM663 has external dimensions of 280.0 x 185.0 x 96.0mm (11.0000-inch x 7.2500-inch x 3.7500-inch) whereas Monitor Audio W280-IDC has external dimensions of 388.0 x 234.0 x 94.0mm (15.2500-inch x 9.1875-inch x 3.6875-inch).
B&W CWM663 is 49mm narrower and 108mm shorter than Monitor Audio W280-IDC but it is also 2mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W CWM663 and Monitor Audio W280-IDC in scale.
Comparison image of B&W CWM663 and Monitor Audio W280-IDC Size and External Dimensions
What's in the Box of B&W CWM663?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of CWM663:
- 2 In-wall loudspeakers
- 2 Mounting frames
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Paint mask
- 2 Cut-out templates
- Quick Start Guide
- Template
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio W280-IDC?
Here are the items that come with the W280-IDC:
- In-Wall speaker
- Grille
- Paint skim
- Installation Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Cutout Template