In this review, we will be comparing SC800D and R-5800-W II, two Passive In-wall speakers from OSD and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of OSD Black Series SC800D and Klipsch R-5800-W II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | OSD Black Series SC800D | Klipsch R-5800-W II |
|---|
| Brand | OSD United States · founded 2003 | Klipsch United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 1-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" Horn-loaded dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" Polypropylene | 8" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-500Hz | 40-23kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | — | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 300 watts | up to 50 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.43kg / 22.9lbs | 3.58kg / 7.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 20.2500" x 14.5000" x 4.0625" 515.0 x 369.0 x 104.0mm | 14.6875" x 9.1250" x 3.9375" 374.0 x 232.0 x 101.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the OSD Black Series SC800D 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* |
OSD Black Series SC800D |
Klipsch R-5800-W II |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that SC800D is a 1-way design whereas the R-5800-W II 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.
OSD Black Series SC800DKlipsch R-5800-W II
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
OSD Black Series SC800D |
Klipsch R-5800-W II |
|
Driver Setup
|
1-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
SC800D features a " Tweeter and 1 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the R-5800-W II features a 1" Horn-loaded dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600 Hz.
Frequency Response
SC800D has a frequency range of 40-500Hz whereas R-5800-W II has a frequency range of 40-23kHz.
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.
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.
SC800D can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas R-5800-W II has a max power handling value of 50 watts RMS, 250 watts less than the SC800D.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
SC800D 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
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 OSD Black Series SC800D's and Klipsch R-5800-W II'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 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).
OSD Black Series SC800D is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 137mm wider, 141mm taller and 3mm deeper than Klipsch R-5800-W II.
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 OSD Black Series SC800D weighs 10.43kg / 22.9lbs and the Klipsch R-5800-W II weighs 3.58kg / 7.9lbs. This makes the SC800D 191% heavier than the R-5800-W II.
Here is a comparison of how SC800D and R-5800-W II'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 OSD Black Series SC800D?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SC800D:
- In-wall passive subwoofer
- Grille
- 10 Screws
- 2 Self-adhesive rubber pads
- Cutout Template
- Install Guide
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)
Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
50 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
Passive Radiator |
1 x 10-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
Price per pair* |
300USD
vs
978USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
Driver Setup |
2-way
vs
1-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
1k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
Height |
374mm
vs
515mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
234cm2
vs
383cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
OSD Black Series SC800D |
Klipsch R-5800-W II |
| Brand |
OSD |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 300 watts |
up to 50 watts |
| Sensitivity |
n/a |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-500Hz |
40-23kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Horn-loaded dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2600 Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
515.0mm (20.3") |
374.0mm (14.7") |
| Width |
369.0mm (14.5") |
232.0mm (9.1") |
| Depth |
104.0mm (4.1") |
101.0mm (4") |
| Weight |
10.43kg (22.9lbs) |
3.58kg (7.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 Years |
Ltd. Lifetime |
| Labor Warranty |
10 Years |
Ltd. Lifetime |
These sit in different price classes - Klipsch R-5800-W II costs roughly 3.3x what OSD Black Series SC800D does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (40Hz vs 40Hz). |
| Headroom | A | OSD Black Series SC800D takes more power (300W vs 50W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Klipsch R-5800-W II is easier to place; OSD Black Series SC800D is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Klipsch R-5800-W II sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | OSD Black Series SC800D is cheaper - $300 against $978, about 69% less; arguably a different class. |
A OSD Black Series SC800D B Klipsch R-5800-W II
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?
OSD Black Series SC800D has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate OSD Black Series SC800D the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Klipsch R-5800-W II for near-field listening and a small room. In a large or open-plan room, OSD Black Series SC800D has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Klipsch R-5800-W II is the easier speaker to get right.
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.