In this review, we will be comparing Invisa Signature Point Source SPS and UIW RLS II, two Passive In-wall speakers from GoldenEar and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar Invisa SPS and Definitive UIW RLS II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar Invisa SPS | Definitive UIW RLS II |
|---|
| Brand | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Folded Ribbon | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 5.25" Polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 25-35kHz | 22-30kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-350 watts | 10-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.35kg / 14lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 26.5000" x 7.1250" x 3.3125"
674.0 x 181.0 x 85.0mm | 28.5000" x 7.0000" x 3.8750"
724.0 x 178.0 x 99.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the GoldenEar Invisa SPS and Definitive UIW RLS 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* |
GoldenEar Invisa SPS |
Definitive UIW RLS II |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Bad |
Bad |
| Mid-size Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Good |
(* 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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Invisa Signature Point Source SPS is a 3-way design whereas the UIW RLS II 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.
GoldenEar Invisa SPSDefinitive UIW RLS II
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Drivers drawn to scale and directly comparable. Cabinet outlines are indicative: full dimensions are not published for both. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
GoldenEar Invisa SPS |
Definitive UIW RLS II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Invisa Signature Point Source SPS features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 4 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the UIW RLS II features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Invisa Signature Point Source SPS has a frequency range of 25-35kHz whereas UIW RLS II has a frequency range of 22-30kHz. With a minimum frequency of 22Hz, the UIW RLS II can go slightly deeper then the Invisa Signature Point Source SPS's min frequency of 25Hz.
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
Invisa Signature Point Source SPS
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
Invisa Signature Point Source SPS and UIW RLS II have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 92 dB.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
Invisa Signature Point Source SPS
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 350 watts RMS, though Invisa Signature Point Source SPS is rated 20-350 watts and UIW RLS II 10-350 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
Invisa Signature Point Source SPS features Spring post type posts and UIW RLS 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 GoldenEar Invisa SPS's and Definitive UIW RLS II's external dimensions. GoldenEar Invisa SPS has external dimensions of 674.0 x 181.0 x 85.0mm (26.5000-inch x 7.1250-inch x 3.3125-inch) whereas Definitive UIW RLS II has external dimensions of 724.0 x 178.0 x 99.0mm (28.5000-inch x 7.0000-inch x 3.8750-inch).
GoldenEar Invisa SPS is 50mm shorter and 14mm less deeper than Definitive UIW RLS II but it is also 3mm wider.
What's in the Box of GoldenEar Invisa SPS?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Invisa Signature Point Source SPS:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owners Manual
- Cut-Out Template
- Cardboard Paint Shield
What's in the Box of Definitive UIW RLS II?
Here are the items that come with the UIW RLS II:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Self-adhesive foam gasket
- Paint mask
- Wall-Mount Template
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration Card