In this review, we will be comparing CP-WT380IDC and CWM664, two Passive In-wall speakers from Monitor Audio and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC and B&W CWM664 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC | B&W CWM664 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 4" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" C-CAM | 6" Glass-fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-30kHz | 45-35kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 87.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | 25-130 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.67kg / 12.5lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17.1875" x 10.5625" x 3.8750"
437.0 x 269.0 x 99.0mm | 11.0000" x 7.2500" x 3.7500"
280.0 x 185.0 x 96.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC and B&W CWM664 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-WT380IDC |
B&W CWM664 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that CP-WT380IDC is a 3-way design whereas the CWM664 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.
Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDCB&W CWM664
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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-WT380IDC |
B&W CWM664 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
CP-WT380IDC features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 1 x 8" C-CAM Woofer. On the other hand, the CWM664 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Glass-fiber Woofer.
Frequency Response
CP-WT380IDC has a frequency range of 50-30kHz whereas CWM664 has a frequency range of 45-35kHz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the CWM664 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the CP-WT380IDC's min frequency of 50Hz.
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-WT380IDC is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the CWM664 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. CP-WT380IDC sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the CWM664's is rated at 87.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W CWM664, 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.
CWM664 can handle a max power of 130 watts RMS, whereas CP-WT380IDC has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 10 watts less than the CWM664.
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.
Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
CP-WT380IDC features Spring post type posts and CWM664 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-WT380IDC's and B&W CWM664's external dimensions. 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) whereas B&W CWM664 has external dimensions of 280.0 x 185.0 x 96.0mm (11.0000-inch x 7.2500-inch x 3.7500-inch).
Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 84mm wider, 157mm taller and 3mm deeper than B&W CWM664.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC and B&W CWM664 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC and B&W CWM664 Size and External Dimensions
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of CP-WT380IDC:
- In-Wall speaker
- Magnetic grille
- Paint skim
- Installation Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Limited Warranty/Registration Card
- MountingTemplate
What's in the Box of B&W CWM664?
Here are the items that come with the CWM664:
- 2 In-wall loudspeakers
- 2 Mounting frames
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Paint mask
- 2 Cut-out templates
- Quick Start Guide
- Template
- Warranty Information