In this review, we will be comparing 300 IW 6 and CWM663, two Passive In-wall speakers from Focal and Bowers Wilkins. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal 300 IW 6 and B&W CWM663 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Focal 300 IW 6 and B&W CWM663 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 Focal 300 IW 6 and B&W CWM663 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that 300 IW 6 is a 1-way design whereas the CWM663 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
Focal 300 IW 6 |
B&W CWM663 |
|
Driver Setup
|
1-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
300 IW 6 features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Flax Woofer . On the other hand, the CWM663 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Kevlar Woofer .
Frequency Response
300 IW 6 has a frequency range of 55-28kHz whereas CWM663 has a frequency range of 45-50kHz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the CWM663 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 300 IW 6'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
300 IW 6 and CWM663 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 300 IW 6 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the CWM663's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal 300 IW 6 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W CWM663, 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.
300 IW 6 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 300 IW 6 has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS , 20 watts less than the CWM663.
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
300 IW 6 features Spring post type posts and CWM663 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 300 IW 6's and B&W CWM663's external dimensions. Focal 300 IW 6 has external dimensions of 293.0 x 191.0 x 96.0mm ( 11.5000-inch x 7.5000-inch x 3.7500-inch) whereas B&W CWM663 has external dimensions of 280.0 x 185.0 x 96.0mm ( 11.0000-inch x 7.2500-inch x 3.7500-inch) .
B&W CWM663 is 6mm narrower and 13mm shorter than Focal 300 IW 6 but they have the same thickness of 96.0mm.
What's in the Box of Focal 300 IW 6?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 300 IW 6:
One in-wall speakerGrill (white)12.5
What's in the Box of B&W CWM663?
Here are the items that come with the CWM663:
2 In-wall loudspeakers2 Mounting frames2 Grilles2 Paint mask2 Cut-out templatesQuick Start GuideTemplateWarranty Information