In this review, we will be comparing W265 and CWM663, two Passive In-wall speakers from Monitor Audio and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio W265 and B&W CWM663 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio W265 | B&W CWM663 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" C-CAM | 6" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-30kHz | 45-50kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88.5 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-65 watts | 25-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 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 | 11.0000" x 7.2500" x 3.7500"
280.0 x 185.0 x 96.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio W265 and B&W CWM663 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 W265 |
B&W CWM663 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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 W265 and CWM663 are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio W265B&W CWM663
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 W265 |
B&W CWM663 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
W265 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" C-CAM Woofer. On the other hand, the CWM663 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
W265 has a frequency range of 55-30kHz whereas CWM663 has a frequency range of 45-50kHz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the CWM663 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the W265's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
W265 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the CWM663 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. W265 sensitivity is rated at 88.5 dB and the CWM663's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio W265 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W CWM663, 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.
CWM663 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas W265 has a max power handling value of 65 watts RMS, 85 watts less than the CWM663.
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
W265 features Spring post type posts and CWM663 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 W265's and B&W CWM663's external dimensions. 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) whereas B&W CWM663 has external dimensions of 280.0 x 185.0 x 96.0mm (11.0000-inch x 7.2500-inch x 3.7500-inch).
B&W CWM663 is 28mm narrower and 52mm shorter than Monitor Audio W265 but it is also 3mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio W265 and B&W CWM663 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio W265 and B&W CWM663 Size and External Dimensions
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio W265?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of W265:
- In-wall speaker
- Grille
- Paint skim
- Installation Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Cutout Template
What's in the Box of B&W CWM663?
Here are the items that come with the CWM663:
- 2 In-wall loudspeakers
- 2 Mounting frames
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Paint mask
- 2 Cut-out templates
- Quick Start Guide
- Template
- Warranty Information