In this review, we will be comparing W165 and W265, two Passive In-wall speakers by Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio W165 and Monitor Audio W265 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio W165 | Monitor Audio W265 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Metal Matrix Polymer | 6.5" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-25kHz | 55-30kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88.5 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-65 watts | 20-65 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 2.22kg / 4.9lbs | 2.27kg / 5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.0625" x 8.3750" x 3.6250"
332.0 x 213.0 x 93.0mm | 13.0625" x 8.3750" x 3.6250"
332.0 x 213.0 x 93.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio W165 and Monitor Audio W265 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 |
Monitor Audio W265 |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both W165 and W265 are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio W165Monitor Audio W265
TweeterWoofer
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 W165 |
Monitor Audio W265 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
W165 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Metal Matrix Polymer Woofer. On the other hand, the W265 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" C-CAM Woofer.
Frequency Response
W165 has a frequency range of 60-25kHz whereas W265 has a frequency range of 55-30kHz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the W265 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the W165's min frequency of 60Hz.
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
W165 and W265 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.
W165 and W265 have the same power range of 20-65 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
W165 features Spring post type posts and W265 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 W165's and Monitor Audio W265'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 Monitor Audio W265 has external dimensions of 332.0 x 213.0 x 93.0mm (13.0625-inch x 8.3750-inch x 3.6250-inch).
In this case, we can see that Monitor Audio W165 and Monitor Audio W265 have the exact same height, width and thickness.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio W165 and Monitor Audio W265 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio W165 and Monitor Audio W265 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 W165 weighs 2.22kg / 4.9lbs and the Monitor Audio W265 weighs 2.27kg / 5lbs. This makes the W265 2% heavier than the W165.
Here is a comparison of how W165 and W265's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.
Weight
All In-wall Speakers
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 Monitor Audio W265?
Here are the items that come with the W265:
- In-wall speaker
- Grille
- Paint skim
- Installation Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Cutout Template
 Price per pair* |
640USD
vs
780USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Low Frequency Response |
55 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Monitor Audio W165 |
Monitor Audio W265 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
20-65 watts |
20-65 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88.5 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
60-25kHz |
55-30kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Metal Matrix Polymer |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
Yes |
Yes |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
332.0mm (13.1") |
332.0mm (13.1") |
| Width |
213.0mm (8.4") |
213.0mm (8.4") |
| Depth |
93.0mm (3.7") |
93.0mm (3.7") |
| Weight |
2.22kg (4.9lbs) |
2.27kg (5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
Lifetime |
Lifetime |
| Labor Warranty |
Lifetime |
Lifetime |
Both are Monitor Audio, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Monitor Audio W265 digs deeper - 55Hz against 60Hz. 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 (65W vs 65W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | A | Monitor Audio W165 is cheaper - $640 against $780, about 18% less. |
A Monitor Audio W165 B Monitor Audio W265
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?
The usual trade-off: Monitor Audio W265 measures better, Monitor Audio W165 costs about about 22% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Monitor Audio W165 much easier to justify.
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.