In this review, we will be comparing B28W and W280-IDC, two Passive In-wall speakers from Revel and Monitor Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel B28W and Monitor Audio W280-IDC first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Revel B28W and Monitor Audio W280-IDC 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Revel B28W and Monitor Audio W280-IDC compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that B28W is a 1-way design whereas the W280-IDC is a 3-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 |
Revel B28W |
Monitor Audio W280-IDC |
|
Driver Setup
|
1-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
B28W features a " Tweeter and 2 x 8" Polymer-coated aluminum Woofer . On the other hand, the W280-IDC features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 1 x 8" C-CAM Woofer .
Frequency Response
B28W has a frequency range of 36-150Hz whereas W280-IDC has a frequency range of 45-30kHz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the B28W can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the W280-IDC'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.
Impedance and Sensitivity
B28W is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the W280-IDC which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. B28W sensitivity is rated at 0 dB and the W280-IDC's is rated at 90 dB. This 90 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio W280-IDC a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel B28W, 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. 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.
B28W can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS from the amp the whereas W280-IDC has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 230 watts less than the B28W.
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
B28W features Spring post type posts and W280-IDC 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 Revel B28W's and Monitor Audio W280-IDC's external dimensions. Revel B28W has external dimensions of 597.0 x 369.0 x 102.0mm ( 23.5000-inch x 14.5000-inch x 4.0000-inch) whereas Monitor Audio W280-IDC has external dimensions of 388.0 x 234.0 x 94.0mm ( 15.2500-inch x 9.1875-inch x 3.6875-inch) .
Revel B28W is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 135mm wider, 209mm taller and 8mm deeper than Monitor Audio W280-IDC.
What's in the Box of Revel B28W?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of B28W:
In-wall subwooferGrille8 Screws8 Washers8 IsolatorsOwners Manual
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio W280-IDC?
Here are the items that come with the W280-IDC:
In-Wall speakerGrillePaint skimInstallation GuideImportant Safety InstructionsCutout Template