In this review, we will be comparing 100 IW LCR5 and Arena 55IW, two Passive In-wall speakers from Focal and JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal 100 IW LCR5 and JBL Arena 55IW first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Focal 100 IW LCR5 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5.125" Polyglass Woofer
- 55-23kHz Frequency Response
- 90.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-120watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 415.0" x 5.8130" x 3.2500"( 415.0 x 148.0 x 83.0mm )
JBL Arena 55IW Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose Woofer
- 40-20kHz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 120watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 359.0" x 6.3750" x 3.4375"( 359.0 x 162.0 x 88.0mm )
What size room are the Focal 100 IW LCR5 and JBL Arena 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* |
Focal 100 IW LCR5 |
JBL Arena 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal 100 IW LCR5 and JBL Arena 55IW 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
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both 100 IW LCR5 and Arena 55IW are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Focal 100 IW LCR5 |
JBL Arena 55IW |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.125-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
100 IW LCR5 features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.125" Polyglass Woofer . On the other hand, the Arena 55IW features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose Woofer .
Frequency Response
100 IW LCR5 has a frequency range of 55-23kHz whereas Arena 55IW has a frequency range of 40-20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Arena 55IW can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 100 IW LCR5's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
100 IW LCR5 and Arena 55IW have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 100 IW LCR5 sensitivity is rated at 90.5 dB and the Arena 55IW's is at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Focal 100 IW LCR5 a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL Arena 55IW, 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.
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
100 IW LCR5 features Spring post type posts and Arena 55IW 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 Focal 100 IW LCR5's and JBL Arena 55IW's external dimensions. Focal 100 IW LCR5 has external dimensions of 415.0 x 148.0 x 83.0mm ( 16.3130-inch x 5.8130-inch x 3.2500-inch) whereas JBL Arena 55IW has external dimensions of 359.0 x 162.0 x 88.0mm ( 14.1250-inch x 6.3750-inch x 3.4375-inch) .
Focal 100 IW LCR5 is 14mm narrower and 5mm less deeper than JBL Arena 55IW but it is also 56mm taller.
What's in the Box of Focal 100 IW LCR5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 100 IW LCR5:
One in-wall speaker1 metal-mesh grill (white)Cut-out templateUser manual
What's in the Box of JBL Arena 55IW?
Here are the items that come with the Arena 55IW:
In-wall loudspeakerGrille2 Scrim cloths (1 installed)Mounting TemplateInstruction Manual