In this review, we will be comparing CP-WT260 and CP-WT380IDC, two Passive In-wall speakers by Monitor Audio Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio CP-WT260 and Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Monitor Audio CP-WT260 and Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Monitor Audio CP-WT260 and Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that CP-WT260 is a 2-way design whereas the CP-WT380IDC is a 3-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.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio CP-WT260 |
Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
CP-WT260 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" C-CAM Woofer . On the other hand, the CP-WT380IDC features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 1 x 8" C-CAM Woofer .
Frequency Response
CP-WT260 has a frequency range of 65-25kHz whereas CP-WT380IDC has a frequency range of 50-30kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the CP-WT380IDC can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the CP-WT260's min frequency of 65Hz.
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
Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC
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
CP-WT260 and CP-WT380IDC have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. CP-WT260 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the CP-WT380IDC's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio CP-WT260, 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.
CP-WT260 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas CP-WT260 has a max power handling value of 65 watts RMS , 55 watts less than the CP-WT380IDC.
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
CP-WT260 features Spring post type posts and CP-WT380IDC 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 Monitor Audio CP-WT260's and Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC's external dimensions. Monitor Audio CP-WT260 has external dimensions of 380.0 x 228.0 x 96.0mm ( 14.9375-inch x 8.9375-inch x 3.7500-inch) whereas Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC has external dimensions of 437.0 x 269.0 x 99.0mm ( 17.1875-inch x 10.5625-inch x 3.8750-inch) .
Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 41mm wider, 57mm taller and 3mm deeper than Monitor Audio CP-WT260.
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio CP-WT260?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of CP-WT260:
In-wall speakerMagnetic grilleCosmetic scrimInstallation GuideImportant Safety InstructionsLimited Warranty/Registration CardMountingTemplate
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC?
Here are the items that come with the CP-WT380IDC:
In-Wall speakerMagnetic grillePaint skimInstallation GuideImportant Safety InstructionsLimited Warranty/Registration CardMountingTemplate