SpeakerDecision
  • SPEAKERS by TYPE
    • Passive Bookshelf Speakers
    • Passive Floor-standing Speakers
    • Passive Center Channel Speakers
    • Passive In-wall Speakers
    • All Passive Speakers
    • Powered Subwoofers
    • Powered Stereo Speakers
  • AMPLIFIERS
  • SMART FIND

Monitor Audio W165 vs Klipsch R-5800-W II Comparison

x
Speaker to replace
Change

Monitor Audio W165

Passive In-wall | 60-25kHz

Monitor Audio W165
CHECK PRICE
Change
    
Klipsch R-5800-W II

Passive In-wall | 40-23kHz

Klipsch R-5800-W II
CHECK PRICE
Monitor Audio W165 Monitor Audio W165
See at AMAZON
Klipsch R-5800-W II Klipsch R-5800-W II
See at AMAZON
Monitor Audio W165
See at AMAZON
Klipsch R-5800-W II
See at AMAZON
Monitor Audio W165 vs Klipsch R-5800-W II Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing W165 and R-5800-W II, two Passive In-wall speakers from Monitor Audio and Klipsch.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Monitor Audio W165 and Klipsch R-5800-W II first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Monitor Audio W165 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
  • 6.5" Metal Matrix Polymer Woofer
  • 60-25kHz Frequency Response
  • 88.5 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 6ohms
  • Power Range:20-65watts
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 332.0" x 8.3750" x 3.6250"( 332.0 x 213.0 x 93.0mm )

Klipsch R-5800-W II Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Horn-loaded dome Tweeter
  • 8" Cerametallic Woofer
  • 40-23kHz Frequency Response
  • 94 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:up to 50watts
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 374.0" x 9.1250" x 3.9375"( 374.0 x 232.0 x 101.0mm )

What size room are the Monitor Audio W165 and Klipsch R-5800-W II 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 W165 Klipsch R-5800-W II
Near-field Good Good
Small Room Good Good
Mid-size Room Average Average
Large Room Poor Poor
Very Large Room No way No way

(* 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Monitor Audio W165 and Klipsch R-5800-W II compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both W165 and R-5800-W II are 2-way speakers.

Driver Monitor Audio W165 Klipsch R-5800-W II
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 1 x 6.5-inch 1 x 8-inch

W165 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Metal Matrix Polymer Woofer . On the other hand, the R-5800-W II features a 1" Horn-loaded dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer .

Frequency Response

W165 has a frequency range of 60-25kHz whereas R-5800-W II has a frequency range of 40-23kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the R-5800-W II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the W165's min frequency of 60Hz.

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

W165
R-5800-W II
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

In-wall Speakers

Monitor Audio W165
Klipsch R-5800-W II
Min
Average
Max

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

W165 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the R-5800-W II which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.

These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. W165 sensitivity is rated at 88.5 dB and the R-5800-W II's is rated at 94 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-5800-W II a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio W165, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

In-wall Speakers

W165
R-5800-W II
Min
Average
Max

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.

W165 can handle a max power of 65 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R-5800-W II has a max power handling value of 50 watts RMS, 15 watts less than the W165.

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

W165 features Spring post type posts and R-5800-W II 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 W165's and Klipsch R-5800-W II's external dimensions. Monitor Audio W165 has external dimensions of 332.0 x 213.0 x 93.0mm ( 13.0625-inch x 8.3750-inch x 3.6250-inch) whereas Klipsch R-5800-W II has external dimensions of 374.0 x 232.0 x 101.0mm ( 14.6875-inch x 9.1250-inch x 3.9375-inch) .

Klipsch R-5800-W II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 19mm wider, 42mm taller and 8mm deeper than Monitor Audio W165.

What's in the Box of Monitor Audio W165?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of W165:
  • In-wall speaker
  • Grille
  • Paint skim
  • Installation Guide
  • Important Safety Instructions
  • Cutout Template
  • What's in the Box of Klipsch R-5800-W II?

    Here are the items that come with the R-5800-W II:
  • In-wall speaker
  • White metal mesh grille
  • Cardboard template
  • Owners Manual (En/Fr/Sp)

  • Reasons to choose Monitor Audio W165 over Klipsch R-5800-W II
    Max Input Power 65 watts vs 50 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    High Frequency Response 25k Hz vs 23k Hz Generates higher frequency
    Height 332mm vs 374mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 198cm2 vs 234cm2 Takes less floor space

    Reasons to choose Klipsch R-5800-W II over Monitor Audio W165

    Sensitivity 94 dB vs 89 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Nominal Impedance 8 ohms vs 6 ohms Less selective with amplifiers
    Woofer Size 8 inches vs 6.5 inches Larger woofer
    Low Frequency Response 40 Hz vs 60 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Price per pair* 498USD vs 640USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    Monitor Audio W165 vs Klipsch R-5800-W II Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Monitor Audio W165 Klipsch R-5800-W II
    Brand Monitor Audio Klipsch
    Speaker Type Passive In-wall Speaker Passive In-wall Speaker
    Power Range 20-65 watts up to 50 watts
    Sensitivity 88.5 dB 94 dB
    Impedance 6 ohms 8 ohms
    Frequency Response 60-25kHz 40-23kHz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 1
    Woofer Size 6.5" 8"
    Woofer Composition Metal Matrix Polymer Cerametallic
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type Hard-Dome Horn-loaded dome
    Aimable Tweeter Yes No
    Midrange Driver N/A" N/A"
    Physical Specs
    Height 332.0mm (13.1") 374.0mm (14.7")
    Width 213.0mm (8.4") 232.0mm (9.1")
    Depth 93.0mm (3.7") 101.0mm (4")
    Enclosure In-wall In-wall
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No No
    Other
    Parts Warranty Lifetime Ltd. Lifetime
    Labor Warranty Lifetime Ltd. Lifetime

    Most Popular Speakers
    Klipsch Reference R-51M
    Klipsch R-51M
    2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
    Wharfedale Elysian 2
    Wharfedale Elysian 2
    3-way | 89 dB | 4 ohms
    ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
    ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
    2-way | 87 dB | 6 ohms
    Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition
    B&W 606 S2
    2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
    KEF Q150
    KEF Q150
    2-way | 86 dB | 8 ohms
    Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-500M
    Klipsch RP-500M
    2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
    Wharfedale EVO4.1
    Wharfedale EVO4.1
    2-way | 87 dB | 8 ohms
    Bowers & Wilkins 606
    B&W 606
    2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
    Copyright © 2025 by SpeakerDecision
    About Privacy Contact US Camera Decision

    Report a Correction