In this review, we will be comparing R2ic In-Ceiling and Invisa Signature Point Source SPS, two Passive In-wall speakers from Perlisten and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling and GoldenEar Invisa SPS first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling | GoldenEar Invisa SPS |
|---|
| Brand | Perlisten
United States · founded 2016 | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 4 x 5.25" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-27k Hz | 25-35kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50 - 150W (with 80Hz HPF) 50 - 100W (full range) watts | 20-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.40kg / 11.9lbs | 6.35kg / 14lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13-1/2" x 13-1/2" x 6"
343.3 x 343.3 x 153.1mm | 26.5000" x 7.1250" x 3.3125"
674.0 x 181.0 x 85.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling and GoldenEar Invisa SPS 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* |
Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling |
GoldenEar Invisa SPS |
| Near-field |
Good |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Good |
Bad |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Good |
(* 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.
Drivers
Both R2ic In-Ceiling and Invisa Signature Point Source SPS are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling |
GoldenEar Invisa SPS |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
4 x 5.25-inch
|
R2ic In-Ceiling features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the Invisa Signature Point Source SPS features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 4 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
R2ic In-Ceiling has a frequency range of 44-27k Hz whereas Invisa Signature Point Source SPS has a frequency range of 25-35kHz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Invisa Signature Point Source SPS can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R2ic In-Ceiling's min frequency of 44Hz.
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
Invisa Signature Point Source SPS
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
R2ic In-Ceiling is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Invisa Signature Point Source SPS which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. R2ic In-Ceiling sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Invisa Signature Point Source SPS's is rated at 92 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Invisa SPS a more sensitive speaker compared to Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
Invisa Signature Point Source SPS
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.
Invisa Signature Point Source SPS can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas R2ic In-Ceiling has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 200 watts less than the Invisa Signature Point Source SPS.
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.
Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
R2ic In-Ceiling features Spring post type posts and Invisa Signature Point Source SPS 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 Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling's and GoldenEar Invisa SPS's external dimensions. Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling has external dimensions of 343.3 x 343.3 x 153.1mm () whereas GoldenEar Invisa SPS has external dimensions of 674.0 x 181.0 x 85.0mm (26.5000-inch x 7.1250-inch x 3.3125-inch).
GoldenEar Invisa SPS is 162.3mm narrower and 68.1mm less deeper than Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling but it is also 330.7mm taller.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling needs about 242% more floor or shelf area. Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling is 68mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. GoldenEar Invisa SPS is 331mm taller.
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 Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling weighs 5.40kg / 11.9lbs and the GoldenEar Invisa SPS weighs 6.35kg / 14lbs. This makes the Invisa Signature Point Source SPS 18% heavier than the R2ic In-Ceiling.
Here is a comparison of how R2ic In-Ceiling and Invisa Signature Point Source SPS's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.
Weight
All In-wall Speakers
Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling
What's in the Box of GoldenEar Invisa SPS?
Here are the items that come with the Invisa Signature Point Source SPS:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owners Manual
- Cut-Out Template
- Cardboard Paint Shield
 Height |
343mm
vs
674mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
27k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
153cm2
vs
525cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling |
GoldenEar Invisa Signature Point Source (SPS) |
| Brand |
Perlisten |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
50 - 150W (with 80Hz HPF) 50 - 100W (full range) watts |
20-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
44-27k Hz |
25-35kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
4 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
Yes |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
343.3mm (13.5") |
674.0mm (26.5") |
| Width |
343.3mm (13.5") |
181.0mm (7.1") |
| Depth |
153.1mm (6") |
85.0mm (3.3") |
| Weight |
5.40kg (11.9lbs) |
6.35kg (14lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
In-wall |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A generation apart: Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling is the newer design, against a 2016 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | GoldenEar Invisa SPS digs deeper - 25Hz against 44Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | GoldenEar Invisa SPS is more sensitive (92dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | GoldenEar Invisa SPS is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | GoldenEar Invisa SPS takes more power (350W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | GoldenEar Invisa SPS is easier to place; Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs In-wall. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,990 vs $2,990 a pair). |
A Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling B GoldenEar Invisa SPS
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?
GoldenEar Invisa SPS has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 44Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Perlisten R2ic In-Ceiling the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and GoldenEar Invisa SPS for a large room.
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.