In this review, we will be comparing IWS-10 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 IWS-10 and B&W CWM664 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Monitor Audio IWS-10 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Monitor Audio IWS-10 and B&W CWM664 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 IWS-10 is a 1-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.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio IWS-10 |
B&W CWM664 |
|
Driver Setup
|
1-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 10-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
IWS-10 features a " Tweeter and 1 x 10" C-CAM/RDT Woofer . On the other hand, the CWM664 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Glass-fiber Woofer .
Frequency Response
IWS-10 has a frequency range of 28-120Hz whereas CWM664 has a frequency range of 45-35kHz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the IWS-10 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the CWM664's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
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
IWS-10 and CWM664 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. IWS-10 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the CWM664's is at 87.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the B&W CWM664 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio IWS-10, 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.
IWS-10 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas CWM664 has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the IWS-10.
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
IWS-10 features Spring post type posts and CWM664 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 IWS-10's and B&W CWM664's external dimensions. Monitor Audio IWS-10 has external dimensions of 280.0 x 280.0 x 91.0mm ( 11.0000-inch x 11.0000-inch x 3.5625-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) .
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio IWS-10?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of IWS-10:
In-wall passive subwooferGrille (pre-installed)Installation GuideTemplateImportant Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of B&W CWM664?
Here are the items that come with the CWM664:
2 In-wall loudspeakers2 Mounting frames2 Grilles2 Paint mask2 Cut-out templatesQuick Start GuideTemplateWarranty Information