In this review, we will be comparing W253L and 300 IW6 LCR, two Passive In-wall speakers from Revel and Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel W253L and Focal 300 IW6 LCR first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Revel W253L | Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
|---|
| Brand | Revel
United States · founded 1996 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Inverted Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Aluminum | 2 x 6.5" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-18kHz | 40-28kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 10-130 watts | 50-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 2.54kg / 5.6lbs | 5.62kg / 12.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14.1250" x 6.4375" x 3.4375"
359.0 x 164.0 x 88.0mm | 22.5000" x 7.5000" x 4.0000"
572.0 x 191.0 x 102.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Revel W253L and Focal 300 IW6 LCR 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* |
Revel W253L |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that W253L is a 2-way design whereas the 300 IW6 LCR 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.
Revel W253LFocal 300 IW6 LCR
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Revel W253L |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
W253L features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer. On the other hand, the 300 IW6 LCR features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer.
Frequency Response
W253L has a frequency range of 55-18kHz whereas 300 IW6 LCR has a frequency range of 40-28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the 300 IW6 LCR can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the W253L's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
W253L and 300 IW6 LCR have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. W253L sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the 300 IW6 LCR's is at 92 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal 300 IW6 LCR a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel W253L, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
300 IW6 LCR can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas W253L has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the 300 IW6 LCR.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
W253L features Spring post type posts and 300 IW6 LCR 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 Revel W253L's and Focal 300 IW6 LCR's external dimensions. Revel W253L has external dimensions of 359.0 x 164.0 x 88.0mm (14.1250-inch x 6.4375-inch x 3.4375-inch) whereas Focal 300 IW6 LCR has external dimensions of 572.0 x 191.0 x 102.0mm (22.5000-inch x 7.5000-inch x 4.0000-inch).
Focal 300 IW6 LCR is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 27mm wider, 213mm taller and 14mm deeper than Revel W253L.
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.
Focal 300 IW6 LCR needs about 35% more floor or shelf area. Focal 300 IW6 LCR is 213mm 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 Revel W253L weighs 2.54kg / 5.6lbs and the Focal 300 IW6 LCR weighs 5.62kg / 12.4lbs. This makes the 300 IW6 LCR 121% heavier than the W253L.
Here is a comparison of how W253L and 300 IW6 LCR'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 Revel W253L?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of W253L:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Scrim cloth
- Cutout template
- Instruction Manual
What's in the Box of Focal 300 IW6 LCR?
Here are the items that come with the 300 IW6 LCR:
- One in-wall speaker
- 1 metal-mesh grill (white)
- 23.5
 Height |
359mm
vs
572mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
144cm2
vs
194cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
660USD
vs
2398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
130 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
18k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Revel W253L |
Focal 300 IW6 LCR |
| Brand |
Revel |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
10-130 watts |
50-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-18kHz |
40-28kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Inverted Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
359.0mm (14.1") |
572.0mm (22.5") |
| Width |
164.0mm (6.5") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
88.0mm (3.5") |
102.0mm (4") |
| Weight |
2.54kg (5.6lbs) |
5.62kg (12.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
Lifetime |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
Lifetime |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Focal 300 IW6 LCR costs roughly 3.6x what Revel W253L 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 | B | Focal 300 IW6 LCR digs deeper - 40Hz against 55Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 92dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (130W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Revel W253L is easier to place; Focal 300 IW6 LCR is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Revel W253L sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Revel W253L is cheaper - $660 against $2,398, about 72% less; arguably a different class. |
A Revel W253L B Focal 300 IW6 LCR
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?
Focal 300 IW6 LCR is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 3.6x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Revel W253L looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Focal 300 IW6 LCR appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Revel W253L much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Focal 300 IW6 LCR has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Revel W253L 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.