In this review, we will be comparing CWM7.3 S2 and DI 6.5S, two Passive In-wall speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Definitive Technology. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W CWM7.3 S2 and Definitive DI 6.5S first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the B&W CWM7.3 S2 and Definitive DI 6.5S 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the B&W CWM7.3 S2 and Definitive DI 6.5S compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that CWM7.3 S2 is a 3-way design whereas the DI 6.5S is a 2-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.
Driver |
B&W CWM7.3 S2 |
Definitive DI 6.5S |
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
CWM7.3 S2 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6" Aerofoil Woofer . On the other hand, the DI 6.5S features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polymer Woofer .
Frequency Response
CWM7.3 S2 has a frequency range of 48-28kHz whereas DI 6.5S has a frequency range of 26-30kHz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the DI 6.5S can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the CWM7.3 S2's min frequency of 48Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
High Frequency
In-wall Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
CWM7.3 S2 and DI 6.5S have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 90 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. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
CWM7.3 S2 features Spring clip type posts and DI 6.5S has a Spring clip type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 CWM7.3 S2's and Definitive DI 6.5S's external dimensions. B&W CWM7.3 S2 has external dimensions of 712.0 x 253.0 x 104.0mm ( 28.0000-inch x 9.9375-inch x 4.0625-inch) whereas Definitive DI 6.5S has external dimensions of 185.0 x 185.0 x 104.0mm ( 7.2500-inch x 7.2500-inch x 4.0625-inch) .
Definitive DI 6.5S is 68mm narrower and 527mm shorter than B&W CWM7.3 S2 but they have the same thickness of 104.0mm.
What's in the Box of B&W CWM7.3 S2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of CWM7.3 S2:
In-wall loudspeakerMounting frameGrilleBaffle box2 Mounting plates (1 pre-installed)Paint shieldTwo-piece foam port plug8 Screws2 Wing-nutsHex-wrenchCutout TemplateInstallation InstructionsWarranty Information
What's in the Box of Definitive DI 6.5S?
Here are the items that come with the DI 6.5S:
6.5