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.
| Key Specs | ELAC IW-DC51-W | Klipsch R-5502-W II |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Horn-loaded |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Woven Aramid-Fiber | 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20kHz | 46-20kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | up to 75 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.85kg / 10.7lbs | 2.95kg / 6.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 6.2500" x 16.5000" x 3.3750"
159.0 x 420.0 x 86.0mm | 16.3750" x 6.5000" x 3.3750"
416.0 x 166.0 x 86.0mm |
|---|
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:
| Listening Environment* |
ELAC IW-DC51-W |
Klipsch R-5502-W 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 IW-DC51-W and R-5502-W II are 2-way speakers.
ELAC IW-DC51-WKlipsch R-5502-W 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 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 with a Crossover frequency at 2200 Hz.
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.
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 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
IW-DC51-W can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas R-5502-W II has a max power handling value of 75 watts RMS, 45 watts less than the IW-DC51-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
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
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 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).
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC IW-DC51-W and Klipsch R-5502-W II in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC IW-DC51-W and Klipsch R-5502-W 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 IW-DC51-W weighs 4.85kg / 10.7lbs and the Klipsch R-5502-W II weighs 2.95kg / 6.5lbs. This makes the IW-DC51-W 64% heavier than the R-5502-W II.
Here is a comparison of how IW-DC51-W and R-5502-W 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 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 Klipsch R-5502-W II?
Here are the items that come with the R-5502-W II:
- In-wall speaker
- White metal mesh grille
- Cardboard template
- Owners Manual (En/Fr/Sp)
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
75 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
159mm
vs
416mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Base Surface Area |
142cm2
vs
361cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
498USD
vs
660USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ELAC IW-DC51-W |
Klipsch R-5502-W II |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
up to 75 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-20kHz |
46-20kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Aramid-Fiber |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Horn-loaded |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2200 Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
159.0mm (6.3") |
416.0mm (16.4") |
| Width |
420.0mm (16.5") |
166.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
86.0mm (3.4") |
86.0mm (3.4") |
| Weight |
4.85kg (10.7lbs) |
2.95kg (6.5lbs) |
| 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 IW-DC51-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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (45Hz vs 46Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch R-5502-W II is more sensitive (92dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch R-5502-W II is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | ELAC IW-DC51-W takes more power (120W vs 75W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | B | Klipsch R-5502-W II is cheaper - $498 against $660, about 25% less. |
A ELAC IW-DC51-W B Klipsch R-5502-W 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?
Klipsch R-5502-W II has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate ELAC IW-DC51-W the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Klipsch R-5502-W II for near-field listening and a small room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch R-5502-W II is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.