In this review, we will be comparing DW 80 PRO and DW 45 MAX, two Passive In-wall speakers by Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Definitive Technology DW 80 PRO and Definitive Technology DW 45 MAX first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Definitive Technology DW 80 PRO | Definitive Technology DW 45 MAX |
|---|
| Brand | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" | 4.5" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-25k Hz | 60-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 83 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Weight | — | 1.87kg / 4.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 16" x 10-7/8" x 3-15/16"
406.4 x 276.2 x 100.3mm | — |
|---|
DW 80 PRO and DW 45 MAX are members of Definitive Technology's DW series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Definitive Technology DW Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both DW 80 PRO and DW 45 MAX are 2-way speakers.
Definitive Technology DW 80 PRODefinitive Technology DW 45 MAX
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Definitive Technology DW 80 PRO |
Definitive Technology DW 45 MAX |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
DW 80 PRO features a 1" Tweeter and 1 x 8" Woofer. On the other hand, the DW 45 MAX features a 1" Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Woofer.
Frequency Response
DW 80 PRO has a frequency range of 35-25k Hz whereas DW 45 MAX has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the DW 80 PRO can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the DW 45 MAX's min frequency of 60Hz.
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
DW 80 PRO and DW 45 MAX have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. DW 80 PRO sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the DW 45 MAX's is at 83 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Definitive Technology DW 80 PRO a more sensitive speaker compared to Definitive Technology DW 45 MAX, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
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.
Definitive Technology DW 80 PRO
Definitive Technology DW 45 MAX
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
DW 80 PRO features Spring post type posts and DW 45 MAX 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 Definitive Technology DW 80 PRO's and Definitive Technology DW 45 MAX's external dimensions. Definitive Technology DW 80 PRO has external dimensions of 406.4 x 276.2 x 100.3mm () whereas Definitive Technology DW 45 MAX has external dimensions of ().
Definitive Technology DW 80 PRO is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 58.7mm wider, 84.1mm taller and 100.3mm deeper than Definitive Technology DW 45 MAX.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Definitive Technology DW 80 PRO and Definitive Technology DW 45 MAX in scale.
Comparison image of Definitive Technology DW 80 PRO and Definitive Technology DW 45 MAX Size and External Dimensions