In this review, we will be comparing Arena 55IW and R-5502-W II, two Passive In-wall speakers from JBL and Klipsch. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Arena 55IW and Klipsch R-5502-W II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
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 )
Klipsch R-5502-W II Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Horn-loaded Tweeter
- 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic Woofer
- 46-20kHz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 75watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 416.0" x 6.5000" x 3.3750"( 416.0 x 166.0 x 86.0mm )
What size room are the JBL Arena 55IW and Klipsch R-5502-W 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* |
JBL Arena 55IW |
Klipsch R-5502-W II |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
No way |
(* 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 JBL Arena 55IW and Klipsch R-5502-W II 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
Both Arena 55IW and R-5502-W II are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
JBL Arena 55IW |
Klipsch R-5502-W II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Arena 55IW features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose Woofer . On the other hand, the R-5502-W II features a 1" Horn-loaded Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Cerametallic Woofer .
Frequency Response
Arena 55IW has a frequency range of 40-20kHz whereas R-5502-W II has a frequency range of 46-20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Arena 55IW can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R-5502-W II's min frequency of 46Hz.
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
Arena 55IW and R-5502-W II have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Arena 55IW sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the R-5502-W II's is at 92 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-5502-W II 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.
Arena 55IW can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R-5502-W II has a max power handling value of 75 watts RMS, 45 watts less than the Arena 55IW.
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
Arena 55IW features Spring post type posts and R-5502-W II 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 JBL Arena 55IW's and Klipsch R-5502-W II's external dimensions. 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) whereas Klipsch R-5502-W II has external dimensions of 416.0 x 166.0 x 86.0mm ( 16.3750-inch x 6.5000-inch x 3.3750-inch) .
JBL Arena 55IW is 4mm narrower and 57mm shorter than Klipsch R-5502-W II but it is also 2mm deeper.
What's in the Box of JBL Arena 55IW?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Arena 55IW:
In-wall loudspeakerGrille2 Scrim cloths (1 installed)Mounting TemplateInstruction Manual
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-5502-W II?
Here are the items that come with the R-5502-W II:
In-wall speakerWhite metal mesh grilleCardboard templateOwners Manual (En/Fr/Sp)
Max Input Power 
Low Frequency Response 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Sensitivity