In this review, we will be comparing Invisa Signature Point Source SPS and 300 IW6 LCR, two Passive In-wall speakers from GoldenEar and Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar Invisa SPS and Focal 300 IW6 LCR first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar Invisa SPS | Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
|---|
| Brand | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Folded Ribbon | 1" Inverted Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 5.25" Polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 25-35kHz | 40-28kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-350 watts | 50-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.35kg / 14lbs | 5.62kg / 12.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 26.5000" x 7.1250" x 3.3125"
674.0 x 181.0 x 85.0mm | 22.5000" x 7.5000" x 4.0000"
572.0 x 191.0 x 102.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the GoldenEar Invisa SPS and Focal 300 IW6 LCR 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 |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Bad |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Invisa Signature Point Source SPS and 300 IW6 LCR are 3-way speakers.
GoldenEar Invisa SPSFocal 300 IW6 LCR
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 |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 4-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 300 IW6 LCR features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer.
Frequency Response
Invisa Signature Point Source SPS has a frequency range of 25-35kHz whereas 300 IW6 LCR has a frequency range of 40-28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Invisa Signature Point Source SPS can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 300 IW6 LCR's min frequency of 40Hz.
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 300 IW6 LCR 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.
Invisa Signature Point Source SPS can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas 300 IW6 LCR has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 200 watts less than the Invisa Signature Point Source SPS.
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 300 IW6 LCR 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 Focal 300 IW6 LCR'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 Focal 300 IW6 LCR has external dimensions of 572.0 x 191.0 x 102.0mm (22.5000-inch x 7.5000-inch x 4.0000-inch).
GoldenEar Invisa SPS is 10mm narrower and 17mm less deeper than Focal 300 IW6 LCR but it is also 102mm taller.
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 GoldenEar Invisa SPS weighs 6.35kg / 14lbs and the Focal 300 IW6 LCR weighs 5.62kg / 12.4lbs. This makes the Invisa Signature Point Source SPS 13% heavier than the 300 IW6 LCR.
Here is a comparison of how Invisa Signature Point Source SPS and 300 IW6 LCR'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 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 Focal 300 IW6 LCR?
Here are the items that come with the 300 IW6 LCR:
- One in-wall speaker
- 1 metal-mesh grill (white)
- 23.5
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
153cm2
vs
194cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
572mm
vs
674mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
2990USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
GoldenEar Invisa Signature Point Source (SPS) |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
20-350 watts |
50-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
25-35kHz |
40-28kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Ribbon |
Inverted Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
Yes |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
4" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
674.0mm (26.5") |
572.0mm (22.5") |
| Width |
181.0mm (7.1") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
85.0mm (3.3") |
102.0mm (4") |
| Weight |
6.35kg (14lbs) |
5.62kg (12.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | GoldenEar Invisa SPS digs deeper - 25Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 92dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | GoldenEar Invisa SPS takes more power (350W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | B | Focal 300 IW6 LCR is cheaper - $2,398 against $2,990, about 20% less. |
A GoldenEar Invisa SPS B Focal 300 IW6 LCR
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?
The usual trade-off: GoldenEar Invisa SPS measures better, Focal 300 IW6 LCR costs about about 25% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Focal 300 IW6 LCR much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate GoldenEar Invisa SPS the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Focal 300 IW6 LCR for a small room and a mid-size room.
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.