In this review, we will be comparing SC800D and CWM663, two Passive In-wall speakers from OSD and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of OSD Black Series SC800D and B&W CWM663 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
OSD Black Series SC800D Key Specs
- 1-way Design
- " Tweeter
- 8" Polypropylene Woofer
- 40-500Hz Frequency Response
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 300watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 515.0" x 14.5000" x 4.0625"( 515.0 x 369.0 x 104.0mm )
B&W CWM663 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 6" Kevlar Woofer
- 45-50kHz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-150watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 280.0" x 7.2500" x 3.7500"( 280.0 x 185.0 x 96.0mm )
What size room are the OSD Black Series SC800D 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* |
OSD Black Series SC800D |
B&W CWM663 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the OSD Black Series SC800D and B&W CWM663 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that SC800D is a 1-way design whereas the CWM663 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 |
OSD Black Series SC800D |
B&W CWM663 |
|
Driver Setup
|
1-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
SC800D features a " Tweeter and 1 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer . On the other hand, the CWM663 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Kevlar Woofer .
Frequency Response
SC800D has a frequency range of 40-500Hz whereas CWM663 has a frequency range of 45-50kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the SC800D can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the CWM663'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.
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.
SC800D can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas CWM663 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the SC800D.
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
SC800D features Spring post type posts and CWM663 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 OSD Black Series SC800D's and B&W CWM663's external dimensions. OSD Black Series SC800D has external dimensions of 515.0 x 369.0 x 104.0mm ( 20.2500-inch x 14.5000-inch x 4.0625-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) .
OSD Black Series SC800D is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 184mm wider, 235mm taller and 8mm deeper than B&W CWM663.
What's in the Box of OSD Black Series SC800D?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SC800D:
In-wall passive subwooferGrille10 Screws2 Self-adhesive rubber padsCutout TemplateInstall Guide
What's in the Box of B&W CWM663?
Here are the items that come with the CWM663:
2 In-wall loudspeakers2 Mounting frames2 Grilles2 Paint mask2 Cut-out templatesQuick Start GuideTemplateWarranty Information