In this review, we will be comparing IW-DC51-W and R-5502-W II, two Passive In-wall speakers from ELAC and Klipsch. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC IW-DC51-W and Klipsch R-5502-W II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the ELAC IW-DC51-W and Klipsch R-5502-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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the ELAC IW-DC51-W and Klipsch R-5502-W II compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both IW-DC51-W and R-5502-W II are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
ELAC IW-DC51-W |
Klipsch R-5502-W II |
|
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 R-5502-W II features a 1" Horn-loaded Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic Woofer .
Frequency Response
IW-DC51-W has a frequency range of 45-20kHz whereas R-5502-W II has a frequency range of 46-20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the IW-DC51-W can go slightly deeper then the R-5502-W II's min frequency of 46Hz.
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 R-5502-W II 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 R-5502-W II's is rated at 92 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-5502-W II 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 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R-5502-W II has a max power handling value of 75 watts RMS, 45 watts less than the IW-DC51-W.
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 R-5502-W II 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 Klipsch R-5502-W II'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 Klipsch R-5502-W II has external dimensions of 416.0 x 166.0 x 86.0mm ( 16.3750-inch x 6.5000-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 speakerGrille
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-5502-W II?
Here are the items that come with the R-5502-W II:
In-wall speakerWhite metal mesh grilleCardboard templateOwners Manual (En/Fr/Sp)