In this review, we will be comparing Debut IW-D61-W and R-5650-S II, two Passive In-wall speakers from ELAC and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Debut IW-D61-W and Klipsch R-5650-S II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ELAC Debut IW-D61-W | Klipsch R-5650-S II |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Horn-loaded dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven Aramid-Fiber | 6.5" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20kHz | 60-23kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | up to 50 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.04kg / 8.9lbs | 3.27kg / 7.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.6250" x 7.4375" x 3.9375"
296.0 x 189.0 x 101.0mm | 13.0000" x 8.0000" x 3.6875"
331.0 x 204.0 x 94.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the ELAC Debut IW-D61-W and Klipsch R-5650-S 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* |
ELAC Debut IW-D61-W |
Klipsch R-5650-S 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.
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Drivers
Both Debut IW-D61-W and R-5650-S II are 2-way speakers.
ELAC Debut IW-D61-WKlipsch R-5650-S 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 |
ELAC Debut IW-D61-W |
Klipsch R-5650-S II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Debut IW-D61-W features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woven Aramid-Fiber Woofer. On the other hand, the R-5650-S II features a 1" Horn-loaded dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3400 Hz.
Frequency Response
Debut IW-D61-W has a frequency range of 45-20kHz whereas R-5650-S II has a frequency range of 60-23kHz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Debut IW-D61-W can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R-5650-S II'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
Debut IW-D61-W is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the R-5650-S II which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Debut IW-D61-W sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the R-5650-S II's is rated at 92 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-5650-S II a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Debut IW-D61-W, 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.
Debut IW-D61-W can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas R-5650-S II has a max power handling value of 50 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the Debut IW-D61-W.
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
Debut IW-D61-W features Spring Posts type posts and R-5650-S II has a Spring Posts 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 ELAC Debut IW-D61-W's and Klipsch R-5650-S II's external dimensions. ELAC Debut IW-D61-W has external dimensions of 296.0 x 189.0 x 101.0mm (11.6250-inch x 7.4375-inch x 3.9375-inch) whereas Klipsch R-5650-S II has external dimensions of 331.0 x 204.0 x 94.0mm (13.0000-inch x 8.0000-inch x 3.6875-inch).
ELAC Debut IW-D61-W is 15mm narrower and 35mm shorter than Klipsch R-5650-S II but it is also 7mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Debut IW-D61-W and Klipsch R-5650-S II in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Debut IW-D61-W and Klipsch R-5650-S II 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 ELAC Debut IW-D61-W weighs 4.04kg / 8.9lbs and the Klipsch R-5650-S II weighs 3.27kg / 7.2lbs. This makes the Debut IW-D61-W 24% heavier than the R-5650-S II.
Here is a comparison of how Debut IW-D61-W and R-5650-S 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 ELAC Debut IW-D61-W?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Debut IW-D61-W:
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-5650-S II?
Here are the items that come with the R-5650-S II:
- In-wall speaker
- White metal mesh grille
- Cardboard template
- Owners Manual (En/Fr/Sp)
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
50 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
296mm
vs
331mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
190cm2
vs
191cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
458USD
vs
520USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ELAC Debut IW-D61-W |
Klipsch R-5650-S II |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
up to 50 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-20kHz |
60-23kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Aramid-Fiber |
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 |
3400 Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
296.0mm (11.7") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Width |
189.0mm (7.4") |
204.0mm (8") |
| Depth |
101.0mm (4") |
94.0mm (3.7") |
| Weight |
4.04kg (8.9lbs) |
3.27kg (7.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
Ltd. Lifetime |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
Ltd. Lifetime |
A generation apart: ELAC Debut IW-D61-W is the newer design, against a 2015 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | ELAC Debut IW-D61-W digs deeper - 45Hz against 60Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch R-5650-S II is more sensitive (92dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch R-5650-S II is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | ELAC Debut IW-D61-W takes more power (120W vs 50W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | B | Klipsch R-5650-S II is cheaper - $458 against $520, about 12% less. |
A ELAC Debut IW-D61-W B Klipsch R-5650-S 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Klipsch R-5650-S II much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate ELAC Debut IW-D61-W the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Klipsch R-5650-S 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.