In this review, we will be comparing Invisa Signature Point Source SPS and Invisa MPX, two Passive In-wall speakers by GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar Invisa SPS and GoldenEar Invisa MPX first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar Invisa SPS | GoldenEar Invisa MPX |
|---|
| Brand | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Folded Ribbon | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 5.25" Polypropylene | 2 x 4.5" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 25-35kHz | 25-35kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-350 watts | 10-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.35kg / 14lbs | 2.72kg / 6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 26.5000" x 7.1250" x 3.3125"
674.0 x 181.0 x 85.0mm | 12.7500" x 6.2500" x 3.7500"
324.0 x 159.0 x 96.0mm |
|---|
Invisa Signature Point Source SPS and Invisa MPX are members of GoldenEar's Invisa series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
GoldenEar Invisa Series
History
What size room are the GoldenEar Invisa SPS and GoldenEar Invisa MPX 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 |
GoldenEar Invisa MPX |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Bad |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Average |
(* 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 Invisa MPX 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 SPSGoldenEar Invisa MPX
MidrangeWoofer
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 |
GoldenEar Invisa MPX |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 4.5-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 Invisa MPX features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 4.5" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Invisa Signature Point Source SPS and Invisa MPX has exactly the same frequency range of 25-35kHz.
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 Invisa MPX have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Invisa Signature Point Source SPS sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Invisa MPX's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Invisa SPS a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Invisa MPX, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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 Invisa MPX has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 100 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 Invisa MPX 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 GoldenEar Invisa MPX'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 GoldenEar Invisa MPX has external dimensions of 324.0 x 159.0 x 96.0mm (12.7500-inch x 6.2500-inch x 3.7500-inch).
GoldenEar Invisa MPX is 22mm narrower and 350mm shorter than GoldenEar Invisa SPS but it is also 11mm deeper.
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 GoldenEar Invisa MPX weighs 2.72kg / 6lbs. This makes the Invisa Signature Point Source SPS 133% heavier than the Invisa MPX.
Here is a comparison of how Invisa Signature Point Source SPS and Invisa MPX'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 GoldenEar Invisa MPX?
Here are the items that come with the Invisa MPX:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owners Manual
- Cut-Out Template
- Cardboard Paint Shield
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
4.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Height |
324mm
vs
674mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
152cm2
vs
153cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
695USD
vs
2990USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
GoldenEar Invisa Signature Point Source (SPS) |
GoldenEar Invisa MPX |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
20-350 watts |
10-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
25-35kHz |
25-35kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
4.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Ribbon |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
Yes |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
674.0mm (26.5") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Width |
181.0mm (7.1") |
159.0mm (6.3") |
| Depth |
85.0mm (3.3") |
96.0mm (3.8") |
| Weight |
6.35kg (14lbs) |
2.72kg (6lbs) |
| 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 |
Siblings in GoldenEar's Invisa series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (25Hz vs 25Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | GoldenEar Invisa SPS is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | GoldenEar Invisa SPS takes more power (350W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | GoldenEar Invisa MPX is easier to place; GoldenEar Invisa SPS is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | GoldenEar Invisa MPX is cheaper - $695 against $2,990, about 77% less; arguably a different class. |
A GoldenEar Invisa SPS B GoldenEar Invisa MPX
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, GoldenEar Invisa MPX costs about about 4.3x the price% 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. Match it to your room: we rate GoldenEar Invisa SPS the better fit for a very large room, and GoldenEar Invisa MPX for a mid-size room. In a large or open-plan room, GoldenEar Invisa SPS has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, GoldenEar Invisa MPX is the easier speaker to get right.
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.