In this review, we will be comparing CWM7.4 S2 and 300 IW6 LCR, two Passive In-wall speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W CWM7.4 S2 and Focal 300 IW6 LCR first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W CWM7.4 S2 | Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Inverted Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 4" | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 4" Aramid fiber/paper cone | 2 x 6.5" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-28kHz | 40-28kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 50-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.24kg / 13.7lbs | 5.62kg / 12.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 23.5000" x 5.8125" x 3.6875"
597.0 x 148.0 x 94.0mm | 22.5000" x 7.5000" x 4.0000"
572.0 x 191.0 x 102.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W CWM7.4 S2 and Focal 300 IW6 LCR 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 CWM7.4 S2 |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
| 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 CWM7.4 S2 and 300 IW6 LCR are 3-way speakers.
B&W CWM7.4 S2Focal 300 IW6 LCR
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 CWM7.4 S2 |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 4-inch |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 4-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
CWM7.4 S2 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 4" Aramid fiber/paper cone Woofer. On the other hand, the 300 IW6 LCR features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer.
Frequency Response
CWM7.4 S2 has a frequency range of 45-28kHz whereas 300 IW6 LCR has a frequency range of 40-28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the 300 IW6 LCR can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the CWM7.4 S2's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
CWM7.4 S2 and 300 IW6 LCR have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. CWM7.4 S2 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the 300 IW6 LCR's is at 92 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Focal 300 IW6 LCR a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W CWM7.4 S2, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 150 watts RMS, though CWM7.4 S2 is rated 25-150 watts and 300 IW6 LCR 50-150 watts.
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
CWM7.4 S2 features Spring post type posts and 300 IW6 LCR 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 CWM7.4 S2's and Focal 300 IW6 LCR's external dimensions. B&W CWM7.4 S2 has external dimensions of 597.0 x 148.0 x 94.0mm (23.5000-inch x 5.8125-inch x 3.6875-inch) whereas Focal 300 IW6 LCR has external dimensions of 572.0 x 191.0 x 102.0mm (22.5000-inch x 7.5000-inch x 4.0000-inch).
B&W CWM7.4 S2 is 43mm narrower and 8mm less deeper than Focal 300 IW6 LCR but it is also 25mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W CWM7.4 S2 and Focal 300 IW6 LCR in scale.
Comparison image of B&W CWM7.4 S2 and Focal 300 IW6 LCR Size and External Dimensions
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The B&W CWM7.4 S2 weighs 6.24kg / 13.7lbs and the Focal 300 IW6 LCR weighs 5.62kg / 12.4lbs. This makes the CWM7.4 S2 11% heavier than the 300 IW6 LCR.
Here is a comparison of how CWM7.4 S2 and 300 IW6 LCR's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.
Weight
All In-wall Speakers
What's in the Box of B&W CWM7.4 S2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of CWM7.4 S2:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Mounting frame
- Grille
- Paint shield
- Cutout Template
- Installation Instructions
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of Focal 300 IW6 LCR?
Here are the items that come with the 300 IW6 LCR:
- One in-wall speaker
- 1 metal-mesh grill (white)
- 23.5
 Base Surface Area |
139cm2
vs
194cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2300USD
vs
2398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
572mm
vs
597mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins Reference Series CWM7.4 S2 |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
50-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-28kHz |
40-28kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
4" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aramid fiber/paper cone |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Inverted Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4" |
4" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
597.0mm (23.5") |
572.0mm (22.5") |
| Width |
148.0mm (5.8") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
94.0mm (3.7") |
102.0mm (4") |
| Weight |
6.24kg (13.7lbs) |
5.62kg (12.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
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 | B | Focal 300 IW6 LCR digs deeper - 40Hz against 45Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Focal 300 IW6 LCR is more sensitive (92dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | B&W CWM7.4 S2 is easier to place; Focal 300 IW6 LCR is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,300 vs $2,398 a pair). |
A B&W CWM7.4 S2 B Focal 300 IW6 LCR
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?
Focal 300 IW6 LCR has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 45Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Focal 300 IW6 LCR is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.