In this review, we will be comparing IWS-10 and UIW RLS III, two Passive In-wall speakers from Monitor Audio and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio IWS-10 and Definitive UIW RLS III first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio IWS-10 | Definitive UIW RLS III |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 |
|---|
| Design | 1-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 10" C-CAM/RDT | 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-120Hz | 24-30kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 150 watts | 10-325 watts |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.0000" x 11.0000" x 3.5625"
280.0 x 280.0 x 91.0mm | 23.7500" x 5.8750" x 3.8750"
604.0 x 150.0 x 99.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio IWS-10 and Definitive UIW RLS III 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 IWS-10 |
Definitive UIW RLS III |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Average |
Bad |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
(* 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 IWS-10 is a 1-way design whereas the UIW RLS III 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 IWS-10Definitive UIW RLS III
TweeterWoofer
Drivers drawn to scale and directly comparable. Cabinet outlines are indicative: full dimensions are not published for both. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio IWS-10 |
Definitive UIW RLS III |
|
Driver Setup
|
1-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 10-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
IWS-10 features a " Tweeter and 1 x 10" C-CAM/RDT Woofer. On the other hand, the UIW RLS III features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
IWS-10 has a frequency range of 28-120Hz whereas UIW RLS III has a frequency range of 24-30kHz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the UIW RLS III can go slightly deeper then the IWS-10's min frequency of 28Hz.
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
IWS-10 and UIW RLS III 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 UIW RLS III's is at 92 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Definitive UIW RLS III 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
UIW RLS III can handle a max power of 325 watts RMS, whereas IWS-10 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 175 watts less than the UIW RLS III.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
IWS-10 features Spring post type posts and UIW RLS III 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 IWS-10's and Definitive UIW RLS III'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 Definitive UIW RLS III has external dimensions of 604.0 x 150.0 x 99.0mm (23.7500-inch x 5.8750-inch x 3.8750-inch).
Monitor Audio IWS-10 is 324mm shorter and 8mm less deeper than Definitive UIW RLS III but it is also 130mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Monitor Audio IWS-10 needs about 72% more floor or shelf area. Definitive UIW RLS III is 324mm taller.
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 subwoofer
- Grille (pre-installed)
- Installation Guide
- Template
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of Definitive UIW RLS III?
Here are the items that come with the UIW RLS III:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Self-adhesive foam gasket
- Paint mask
- Wall-Mount Template
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration Card