In this review, we will be comparing IW-DC51-W and Studio 2 55IW, two Passive In-wall speakers from ELAC and JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC IW-DC51-W and JBL Studio 2 55IW first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ELAC IW-DC51-W | JBL Studio 2 55IW |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Woven Aramid-Fiber | 2 x 5.25" PolyPlas |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20kHz | 40-20kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | up to 120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.85kg / 10.7lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 6.2500" x 16.5000" x 3.3750"
159.0 x 420.0 x 86.0mm | 14.1250" x 6.4375" x 3.3750"
359.0 x 164.0 x 86.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the ELAC IW-DC51-W and JBL Studio 2 55IW 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 |
JBL Studio 2 55IW |
| 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.
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Drivers
Both IW-DC51-W and Studio 2 55IW are 2-way speakers.
ELAC IW-DC51-WJBL Studio 2 55IW
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 IW-DC51-W |
JBL Studio 2 55IW |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
IW-DC51-W features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woven Aramid-Fiber Woofer. On the other hand, the Studio 2 55IW features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" PolyPlas Woofer.
Frequency Response
IW-DC51-W has a frequency range of 45-20kHz whereas Studio 2 55IW has a frequency range of 40-20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Studio 2 55IW can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the IW-DC51-W'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
IW-DC51-W is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Studio 2 55IW 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 Studio 2 55IW's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the JBL Studio 2 55IW 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Both handle the same maximum of 120 watts RMS, though IW-DC51-W is rated 30-120 watts and Studio 2 55IW up to 120 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
IW-DC51-W features Spring posts type posts and Studio 2 55IW 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 IW-DC51-W's and JBL Studio 2 55IW'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 JBL Studio 2 55IW has external dimensions of 359.0 x 164.0 x 86.0mm (14.1250-inch x 6.4375-inch x 3.3750-inch).
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 speaker
- Grille
What's in the Box of JBL Studio 2 55IW?
Here are the items that come with the Studio 2 55IW:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Cloth scrim
- Cut-Out Template
- Instruction Manual