In this review, we will be comparing CWM664 and CWM663, two Passive In-wall speakers by Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W CWM664 and B&W CWM663 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W CWM664 | B&W CWM663 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" Glass-fiber | 6" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-35kHz | 45-50kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87.5 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-130 watts | 25-150 watts |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.0000" x 7.2500" x 3.7500"
280.0 x 185.0 x 96.0mm | 11.0000" x 7.2500" x 3.7500"
280.0 x 185.0 x 96.0mm |
|---|
CWM664 and CWM663 are members of Bowers Wilkins's Performance series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the B&W CWM664 and B&W CWM663 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 CWM664 |
B&W CWM663 |
| 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
Both CWM664 and CWM663 are 2-way speakers.
B&W CWM664B&W CWM663
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 CWM664 |
B&W CWM663 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
CWM664 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Glass-fiber Woofer. On the other hand, the CWM663 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
CWM664 has a frequency range of 45-35kHz whereas CWM663 has a frequency range of 45-50kHz.
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
CWM664 and CWM663 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. CWM664 sensitivity is rated at 87.5 dB and the CWM663's is at 88 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.
CWM663 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas CWM664 has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 20 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
CWM664 features Spring post type posts and CWM663 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 CWM664's and B&W CWM663's external dimensions. B&W CWM664 has external dimensions of 280.0 x 185.0 x 96.0mm (11.0000-inch x 7.2500-inch x 3.7500-inch) whereas 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).
In this case, we can see that B&W CWM664 and B&W CWM663 have the exact same height, width and thickness.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W CWM664 and B&W CWM663 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W CWM664 and B&W CWM663 Size and External Dimensions
What's in the Box of B&W CWM664?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of CWM664:
- 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 B&W CWM663?
Here are the items that come with the CWM663:
- 2 In-wall loudspeakers
- 2 Mounting frames
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Paint mask
- 2 Cut-out templates
- Quick Start Guide
- Template
- Warranty Information