In this review, we will be comparing In-wall Speakers and 300 IW 6, two Passive In-wall speakers from Sonos and Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonos In-wall Speakers and Focal 300 IW 6 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonos In-wall Speakers | Focal 300 IW 6 |
|---|
| Brand | Sonos
United States · founded 2002 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Inverted Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Polypropylene | 6.5" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-20kHz | 55-28kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 130 watts | 25-130 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 2.09kg / 4.6lbs | 2.22kg / 4.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.7500" x 6.9375" x 3.6250"
274.0 x 177.0 x 93.0mm | 11.5000" x 7.5000" x 3.7500"
293.0 x 191.0 x 96.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Sonos In-wall Speakers and Focal 300 IW 6 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* |
Sonos In-wall Speakers |
Focal 300 IW 6 |
| 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
Both In-wall Speakers and 300 IW 6 are 2-way speakers.
Sonos In-wall SpeakersFocal 300 IW 6
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Sonos In-wall Speakers |
Focal 300 IW 6 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
In-wall Speakers features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the 300 IW 6 features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Flax Woofer.
Frequency Response
In-wall Speakers has a frequency range of 44-20kHz whereas 300 IW 6 has a frequency range of 55-28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the In-wall Speakers can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 300 IW 6'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
In-wall Speakers and 300 IW 6 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. In-wall Speakers sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the 300 IW 6's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal 300 IW 6 a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonos In-wall Speakers, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 130 watts RMS, though In-wall Speakers is rated up to 130 watts and 300 IW 6 25-130 watts.
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
In-wall Speakers features Spring post type posts and 300 IW 6 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 Sonos In-wall Speakers's and Focal 300 IW 6's external dimensions. Sonos In-wall Speakers has external dimensions of 274.0 x 177.0 x 93.0mm (10.7500-inch x 6.9375-inch x 3.6250-inch) whereas Focal 300 IW 6 has external dimensions of 293.0 x 191.0 x 96.0mm (11.5000-inch x 7.5000-inch x 3.7500-inch).
Focal 300 IW 6 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 14mm wider, 19mm taller and 3mm deeper than Sonos In-wall Speakers.
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 Sonos In-wall Speakers weighs 2.09kg / 4.6lbs and the Focal 300 IW 6 weighs 2.22kg / 4.9lbs. This makes the 300 IW 6 6% heavier than the In-wall Speakers.
Here is a comparison of how In-wall Speakers and 300 IW 6'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 Sonos In-wall Speakers?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of In-wall Speakers:
- 2 In-wall loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Cutout Templates
What's in the Box of Focal 300 IW 6?
Here are the items that come with the 300 IW 6:
- One in-wall speaker
- Grill (white)
- 12.5
 Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
274mm
vs
293mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
164cm2
vs
183cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
659USD
vs
799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Sonos In-wall Speakers |
Focal 300 IW 6 |
| Brand |
Sonos |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 130 watts |
25-130 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44-20kHz |
55-28kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Inverted Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
Yes |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
274.0mm (10.8") |
293.0mm (11.5") |
| Width |
177.0mm (7") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
93.0mm (3.7") |
96.0mm (3.8") |
| Weight |
2.09kg (4.6lbs) |
2.22kg (4.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Sonos In-wall Speakers digs deeper - 44Hz against 55Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (130W vs 130W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | A | Sonos In-wall Speakers is cheaper - $659 against $799, about 18% less. |
A Sonos In-wall Speakers B Focal 300 IW 6
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?
Sonos In-wall Speakers 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 55Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead.
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.