In this review, we will be comparing CP-WT150 and UIW RSS III, two Passive In-wall speakers from Monitor Audio and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio CP-WT150 and Definitive UIW RSS III first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio CP-WT150 | Definitive UIW RSS III |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Poly | 2 x 3.5" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 75-25kHz | 40-30kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-50 watts | 10-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 3.40kg / 7.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.8125" x 8.1250" x 3.7500"
326.0 x 207.0 x 96.0mm | 9.8750" x 8.3750" x 3.8750"
251.0 x 213.0 x 99.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio CP-WT150 and Definitive UIW RSS III 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* |
Monitor Audio CP-WT150 |
Definitive UIW RSS III |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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 CP-WT150 and UIW RSS III are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio CP-WT150Definitive UIW RSS III
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio CP-WT150 |
Definitive UIW RSS III |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
2 x 3.5-inch
|
CP-WT150 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Poly Woofer. On the other hand, the UIW RSS III features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 3.5" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
CP-WT150 has a frequency range of 75-25kHz whereas UIW RSS III has a frequency range of 40-30kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the UIW RSS III can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the CP-WT150's min frequency of 75Hz.
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
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
CP-WT150 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the UIW RSS III which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. CP-WT150 sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the UIW RSS III's is rated at 90 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Definitive UIW RSS III a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio CP-WT150, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
UIW RSS III can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas CP-WT150 has a max power handling value of 50 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the UIW RSS III.
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
CP-WT150 features Spring post type posts and UIW RSS III 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 Monitor Audio CP-WT150's and Definitive UIW RSS III's external dimensions. Monitor Audio CP-WT150 has external dimensions of 326.0 x 207.0 x 96.0mm (12.8125-inch x 8.1250-inch x 3.7500-inch) whereas Definitive UIW RSS III has external dimensions of 251.0 x 213.0 x 99.0mm (9.8750-inch x 8.3750-inch x 3.8750-inch).
Monitor Audio CP-WT150 is 6mm narrower and 3mm less deeper than Definitive UIW RSS III but it is also 75mm taller.
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio CP-WT150?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of CP-WT150:
- In-wall speaker
- Magnetic grille
- Cosmetic scrim
- Installation Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Limited Warranty/Registration Card
- MountingTemplate
What's in the Box of Definitive UIW RSS III?
Here are the items that come with the UIW RSS III:
- In-wall/In-cieling bipolar speaker
- Grille
- 7 Foam strips
- 2 Screws
- Paint mask
- Wall template
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration Card