In this review, we will be comparing S4i LCRS In-Wall and R7i-C In-Wall, two Passive In-wall speakers by Perlisten.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Perlisten S4i LCRS In-Wall and Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Perlisten S4i LCRS In-Wall | Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall |
|---|
| Brand | Perlisten
United States · founded 2016 | Perlisten
United States · founded 2016 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-37k Hz | 42-32k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90.1 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50 - 250W RMS watts | 100 - 400W RMS SPL Capability @1m (100-20kHz) 116.1dB peak 116.0dB peak <3% - 2nd, 3rd Harmonics watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.20kg / 24.6lbs | 23.10kg / 50.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 18.86" x 11.73" x 4.37"
479.0 x 297.9 x 111.0mm | 11.54" x 40.63" x 4.76"
293.1 x 1032.0 x 120.9mm |
|---|
What size room are the Perlisten S4i LCRS In-Wall and Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall 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 S4i LCRS In-Wall |
Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall |
| 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.
Drivers
Both S4i LCRS In-Wall and R7i-C In-Wall are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Perlisten S4i LCRS In-Wall |
Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
x -inch
|
S4i LCRS In-Wall features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the R7i-C In-Wall features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer.
Frequency Response
S4i LCRS In-Wall has a frequency range of 42-37k Hz whereas R7i-C In-Wall has a frequency range of 42-32k Hz.
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
S4i LCRS In-Wall and R7i-C In-Wall have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. S4i LCRS In-Wall sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the R7i-C In-Wall's is at 90.1 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall a more sensitive speaker compared to Perlisten S4i LCRS In-Wall, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the S4i LCRS In-Wall and the S4i LCRS In-Wall can provide this impedance level.
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.
R7i-C In-Wall can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas S4i LCRS In-Wall has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the R7i-C In-Wall.
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 S4i LCRS In-Wall
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
S4i LCRS In-Wall features Binding post type posts and R7i-C In-Wall has a Binding 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 S4i LCRS In-Wall's and Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall's external dimensions. Perlisten S4i LCRS In-Wall has external dimensions of 479.0 x 297.9 x 111.0mm (18.86 x 11.73 x 4.37inch) whereas Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall has external dimensions of 293.1 x 1032.0 x 120.9mm (11.54 x 40.63 x 4.76inch).
Perlisten S4i LCRS In-Wall is 734.1mm narrower and 9.9mm less deeper than Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall but it is also 185.9mm 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 R7i-C In-Wall needs about 277% more floor or shelf area. Perlisten S4i LCRS In-Wall is 186mm 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 S4i LCRS In-Wall weighs 11.20kg / 24.6lbs and the Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall weighs 23.10kg / 50.8lbs. This makes the R7i-C In-Wall 106% heavier than the S4i LCRS In-Wall.
Here is a comparison of how S4i LCRS In-Wall and R7i-C In-Wall's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.
Weight
All In-wall Speakers
Perlisten S4i LCRS In-Wall
 High Frequency Response |
37k Hz
vs
32k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
330cm2
vs
1247cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.6 ohms
vs
3.1 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Height |
293mm
vs
479mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Perlisten S4i LCRS In-Wall |
Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall |
| Brand |
Perlisten |
Perlisten |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
50 - 250W RMS watts |
100 - 400W RMS SPL Capability @1m (100-20kHz) 116.1dB peak 116.0dB peak <3% - 2nd, 3rd Harmonics watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90.1 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.1 ohms |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-37k Hz |
42-32k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
|
| Woofer Size |
" |
" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
479.0mm (18.9") |
293.1mm (11.5") |
| Width |
297.9mm (11.7") |
1032.0mm (40.6") |
| Depth |
111.0mm (4.4") |
120.9mm (4.8") |
| Weight |
11.20kg (24.6lbs) |
23.10kg (50.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Both are Perlisten, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (42Hz vs 42Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall takes more power (400W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Perlisten S4i LCRS In-Wall is easier to place; Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($8,790 vs $8,790 a pair). |
A Perlisten S4i LCRS In-Wall B Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall
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?
Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. In a large or open-plan room, Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Perlisten S4i LCRS In-Wall is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Perlisten R7i-C In-Wall is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.