In this review, we will be comparing CP-WT380IDC and 300 IW6 LCR, two Passive In-wall speakers from Monitor Audio and Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC and Focal 300 IW6 LCR first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC | Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Inverted Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 4" | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" C-CAM | 2 x 6.5" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-30kHz | 40-28kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | 50-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.67kg / 12.5lbs | 5.62kg / 12.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17.1875" x 10.5625" x 3.8750"
437.0 x 269.0 x 99.0mm | 22.5000" x 7.5000" x 4.0000"
572.0 x 191.0 x 102.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC and Focal 300 IW6 LCR 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 |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
| 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
Both CP-WT380IDC and 300 IW6 LCR are 3-way speakers.
Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDCFocal 300 IW6 LCR
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 |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
2 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 300 IW6 LCR features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer.
Frequency Response
CP-WT380IDC has a frequency range of 50-30kHz whereas 300 IW6 LCR has a frequency range of 40-28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the 300 IW6 LCR 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 300 IW6 LCR 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 300 IW6 LCR's is rated at 92 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Focal 300 IW6 LCR a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC, 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.
300 IW6 LCR can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas CP-WT380IDC has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the 300 IW6 LCR.
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 300 IW6 LCR 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 Focal 300 IW6 LCR'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 Focal 300 IW6 LCR has external dimensions of 572.0 x 191.0 x 102.0mm (22.5000-inch x 7.5000-inch x 4.0000-inch).
Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC is 135mm shorter and 3mm less deeper than Focal 300 IW6 LCR but it is also 78mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC and Focal 300 IW6 LCR in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC and Focal 300 IW6 LCR 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 Focal 300 IW6 LCR weighs 5.62kg / 12.4lbs. This makes the CP-WT380IDC 1% heavier than the 300 IW6 LCR.
Here is a comparison of how CP-WT380IDC and 300 IW6 LCR'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 Focal 300 IW6 LCR?
Here are the items that come with the 300 IW6 LCR:
- One in-wall speaker
- 1 metal-mesh grill (white)
- 23.5
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
437mm
vs
572mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
2350USD
vs
2398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
194cm2
vs
266cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
50-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-30kHz |
40-28kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Inverted Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4" |
4" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
437.0mm (17.2") |
572.0mm (22.5") |
| Width |
269.0mm (10.6") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
99.0mm (3.9") |
102.0mm (4") |
| Weight |
5.67kg (12.5lbs) |
5.62kg (12.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
Lifetime |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
Lifetime |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Focal 300 IW6 LCR digs deeper - 40Hz against 50Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Focal 300 IW6 LCR is more sensitive (92dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Focal 300 IW6 LCR is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | Focal 300 IW6 LCR takes more power (150W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC sits in a wider range (5 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,350 vs $2,398 a pair). |
A Monitor Audio CP-WT380IDC B Focal 300 IW6 LCR
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?
Focal 300 IW6 LCR 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. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Focal 300 IW6 LCR is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.