In this review, we will be comparing CP-WT380IDC and Debut IW-D61-W, two Passive In-wall speakers from Monitor Audio and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC and ELAC Debut IW-D61-W first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC | ELAC Debut IW-D61-W |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 4" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" C-CAM | 6.5" Woven Aramid-Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-30kHz | 45-20kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.67kg / 12.5lbs | 4.04kg / 8.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17.1875" x 10.5625" x 3.8750"
437.0 x 269.0 x 99.0mm | 11.6250" x 7.4375" x 3.9375"
296.0 x 189.0 x 101.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC and ELAC Debut IW-D61-W 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 |
ELAC Debut IW-D61-W |
| 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.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that CP-WT380IDC is a 3-way design whereas the Debut IW-D61-W 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-WT380IDCELAC Debut IW-D61-W
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 |
ELAC Debut IW-D61-W |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
CP-WT380IDC features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 1 x 8" C-CAM Woofer. On the other hand, the Debut IW-D61-W features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woven Aramid-Fiber Woofer.
Frequency Response
CP-WT380IDC has a frequency range of 50-30kHz whereas Debut IW-D61-W has a frequency range of 45-20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Debut IW-D61-W 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 and Debut IW-D61-W have the same Impedance of 6 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 89 dB.
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.
CP-WT380IDC and Debut IW-D61-W have the same power range of 30-120 watts.
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 Debut IW-D61-W 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 ELAC Debut IW-D61-W'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 ELAC Debut IW-D61-W has external dimensions of 296.0 x 189.0 x 101.0mm (11.6250-inch x 7.4375-inch x 3.9375-inch).
ELAC Debut IW-D61-W is 80mm narrower and 141mm shorter than Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC but it is also 2mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC and ELAC Debut IW-D61-W in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC and ELAC Debut IW-D61-W Size and External Dimensions
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 Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC weighs 5.67kg / 12.5lbs and the ELAC Debut IW-D61-W weighs 4.04kg / 8.9lbs. This makes the CP-WT380IDC 40% heavier than the Debut IW-D61-W.
Here is a comparison of how CP-WT380IDC and Debut IW-D61-W's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.
Weight
All In-wall Speakers
Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC
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 ELAC Debut IW-D61-W?
Here are the items that come with the Debut IW-D61-W:
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
|
Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
296mm
vs
437mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
190cm2
vs
266cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
520USD
vs
2350USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC |
ELAC Debut IW-D61-W |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-30kHz |
45-20kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Woven Aramid-Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4" |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
437.0mm (17.2") |
296.0mm (11.7") |
| Width |
269.0mm (10.6") |
189.0mm (7.4") |
| Depth |
99.0mm (3.9") |
101.0mm (4") |
| Weight |
5.67kg (12.5lbs) |
4.04kg (8.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
Lifetime |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
Lifetime |
3 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC costs roughly 4.5x what ELAC Debut IW-D61-W does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | ELAC Debut IW-D61-W digs deeper - 45Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 120W). |
| Size | depends | ELAC Debut IW-D61-W is easier to place; Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | ELAC Debut IW-D61-W is cheaper - $520 against $2,350, about 78% less; arguably a different class. |
A Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC B ELAC Debut IW-D61-W
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?
ELAC Debut IW-D61-W has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, ELAC Debut IW-D61-W 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.