In this review, we will be comparing CWM7.5 S2 and R-5800-W II, two Passive In-wall speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W CWM7.5 S2 and Klipsch R-5800-W II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W CWM7.5 S2 | Klipsch R-5800-W II |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Horn-loaded dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Continuum | 8" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-28kHz | 40-23kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | up to 50 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 3.81kg / 8.4lbs | 3.58kg / 7.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.0000" x 7.4375" x 4.0625"
331.0 x 189.0 x 104.0mm | 14.6875" x 9.1250" x 3.9375"
374.0 x 232.0 x 101.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W CWM7.5 S2 and Klipsch R-5800-W II 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 CWM7.5 S2 |
Klipsch R-5800-W II |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
No way |
(* 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 CWM7.5 S2 and R-5800-W II are 2-way speakers.
B&W CWM7.5 S2Klipsch R-5800-W II
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 CWM7.5 S2 |
Klipsch R-5800-W II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
CWM7.5 S2 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuum Woofer. On the other hand, the R-5800-W II features a 1" Horn-loaded dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600 Hz.
Frequency Response
CWM7.5 S2 has a frequency range of 45-28kHz whereas R-5800-W II has a frequency range of 40-23kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the R-5800-W II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the CWM7.5 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
CWM7.5 S2 and R-5800-W II have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. CWM7.5 S2 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the R-5800-W II's is at 94 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-5800-W II a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W CWM7.5 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.
CWM7.5 S2 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas R-5800-W II has a max power handling value of 50 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the CWM7.5 S2.
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
CWM7.5 S2 features Spring post type posts and R-5800-W II 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 CWM7.5 S2's and Klipsch R-5800-W II's external dimensions. B&W CWM7.5 S2 has external dimensions of 331.0 x 189.0 x 104.0mm (13.0000-inch x 7.4375-inch x 4.0625-inch) whereas Klipsch R-5800-W II has external dimensions of 374.0 x 232.0 x 101.0mm (14.6875-inch x 9.1250-inch x 3.9375-inch).
B&W CWM7.5 S2 is 43mm narrower and 43mm shorter than Klipsch R-5800-W II but it is also 3mm deeper.
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.
Klipsch R-5800-W II needs about 19% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch R-5800-W II is 43mm taller.
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 CWM7.5 S2 weighs 3.81kg / 8.4lbs and the Klipsch R-5800-W II weighs 3.58kg / 7.9lbs. This makes the CWM7.5 S2 6% heavier than the R-5800-W II.
Here is a comparison of how CWM7.5 S2 and R-5800-W II'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 CWM7.5 S2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of CWM7.5 S2:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Mounting frame
- Grille
- Baffle box
- 2 Mounting plates (1 pre-installed)
- Paint shield
- Two-piece foam port plug
- 3 Screws
- 3 Lock-washers
- 2 Wing-nuts
- 2 Fasteners
- Cutout Template
- Installation Instructions
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-5800-W II?
Here are the items that come with the R-5800-W II:
- In-wall speaker
- White metal mesh grille
- Cardboard template
- Owners Manual (En/Fr/Sp)
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
50 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
331mm
vs
374mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
196cm2
vs
234cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
978USD
vs
2000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins Reference Series CWM7.5 S2 |
Klipsch R-5800-W II |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
up to 50 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-28kHz |
40-23kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Continuum |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Horn-loaded dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2600 Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
331.0mm (13") |
374.0mm (14.7") |
| Width |
189.0mm (7.4") |
232.0mm (9.1") |
| Depth |
104.0mm (4.1") |
101.0mm (4") |
| Weight |
3.81kg (8.4lbs) |
3.58kg (7.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
Ltd. Lifetime |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
Ltd. Lifetime |
These sit in different price classes - B&W CWM7.5 S2 costs roughly 2x what Klipsch R-5800-W II does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Klipsch R-5800-W II digs deeper - 40Hz against 45Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch R-5800-W II is more sensitive (94dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | B&W CWM7.5 S2 takes more power (150W vs 50W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W CWM7.5 S2 is easier to place; Klipsch R-5800-W II is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Klipsch R-5800-W II sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Klipsch R-5800-W II is cheaper - $978 against $2,000, about 51% less; arguably a different class. |
A B&W CWM7.5 S2 B Klipsch R-5800-W II
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?
Klipsch R-5800-W II 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. Match it to your room: we rate B&W CWM7.5 S2 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Klipsch R-5800-W II for near-field listening and a small 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.