In this review, we will be comparing IW-DC51-W and CWM664, two Passive In-wall speakers from ELAC and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC IW-DC51-W and B&W CWM664 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
ELAC IW-DC51-W Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Woven Aramid-Fiber Woofer
- 45-20kHz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:30-120watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 159.0" x 16.5000" x 3.3750"( 159.0 x 420.0 x 86.0mm )
B&W CWM664 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 6" Glass-fiber Woofer
- 45-35kHz Frequency Response
- 87.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-130watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 280.0" x 7.2500" x 3.7500"( 280.0 x 185.0 x 96.0mm )
What size room are the ELAC IW-DC51-W and B&W CWM664 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 IW-DC51-W |
B&W CWM664 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the ELAC IW-DC51-W and B&W CWM664 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
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Drivers
Both IW-DC51-W and CWM664 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
ELAC IW-DC51-W |
B&W CWM664 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
IW-DC51-W features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woven Aramid-Fiber Woofer . On the other hand, the CWM664 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Glass-fiber Woofer .
Frequency Response
IW-DC51-W has a frequency range of 45-20kHz whereas CWM664 has a frequency range of 45-35kHz.
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
IW-DC51-W is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the CWM664 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. IW-DC51-W sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the CWM664's is rated at 87.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W CWM664 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC IW-DC51-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. 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.
IW-DC51-W can handle a max power of 130 watts RMS from the amp the whereas IW-DC51-W has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS , 10 watts less than the CWM664.
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
IW-DC51-W features Spring post type posts and CWM664 has a Spring post 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 ELAC IW-DC51-W's and B&W CWM664's external dimensions. ELAC IW-DC51-W has external dimensions of 159.0 x 420.0 x 86.0mm ( 6.2500-inch x 16.5000-inch x 3.3750-inch) whereas B&W CWM664 has external dimensions of 280.0 x 185.0 x 96.0mm ( 11.0000-inch x 7.2500-inch x 3.7500-inch) .
ELAC IW-DC51-W is 121mm shorter and 10mm less deeper than B&W CWM664 but it is also 235mm wider.
What's in the Box of ELAC IW-DC51-W?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of IW-DC51-W:
In-wall center-channel speakerGrille
What's in the Box of B&W CWM664?
Here are the items that come with the CWM664:
2 In-wall loudspeakers2 Mounting frames2 Grilles2 Paint mask2 Cut-out templatesQuick Start GuideTemplateWarranty Information