In this review, we will be comparing In-wall Speakers and R-5650-S II, two Passive In-wall speakers from Sonos and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonos In-wall Speakers and Klipsch R-5650-S II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonos In-wall Speakers | Klipsch R-5650-S II |
|---|
| Brand | Sonos
United States · founded 2002 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Horn-loaded dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Polypropylene | 6.5" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-20kHz | 60-23kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 130 watts | up to 50 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 2.09kg / 4.6lbs | 3.27kg / 7.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.7500" x 6.9375" x 3.6250"
274.0 x 177.0 x 93.0mm | 13.0000" x 8.0000" x 3.6875"
331.0 x 204.0 x 94.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Sonos In-wall Speakers and Klipsch R-5650-S II 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 |
Klipsch R-5650-S II |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 In-wall Speakers and R-5650-S II are 2-way speakers.
Sonos In-wall SpeakersKlipsch R-5650-S II
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 |
Klipsch R-5650-S II |
|
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 R-5650-S II features a 1" Horn-loaded dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3400 Hz.
Frequency Response
In-wall Speakers has a frequency range of 44-20kHz whereas R-5650-S II has a frequency range of 60-23kHz. 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 R-5650-S II's min frequency of 60Hz.
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 R-5650-S II 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 R-5650-S II's is at 92 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-5650-S II 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.
In-wall Speakers can handle a max power of 130 watts RMS, whereas R-5650-S II has a max power handling value of 50 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the In-wall Speakers.
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 Posts type posts and R-5650-S II has a Spring Posts 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 Klipsch R-5650-S II'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 Klipsch R-5650-S II has external dimensions of 331.0 x 204.0 x 94.0mm (13.0000-inch x 8.0000-inch x 3.6875-inch).
Klipsch R-5650-S II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 27mm wider, 57mm taller and 1mm deeper than Sonos In-wall Speakers.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sonos In-wall Speakers and Klipsch R-5650-S II in scale.
Comparison image of Sonos In-wall Speakers and Klipsch R-5650-S II Size and External Dimensions
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 Klipsch R-5650-S II weighs 3.27kg / 7.2lbs. This makes the R-5650-S II 56% heavier than the In-wall Speakers.
Here is a comparison of how In-wall Speakers and R-5650-S II'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 Klipsch R-5650-S II?
Here are the items that come with the R-5650-S II:
- In-wall speaker
- White metal mesh grille
- Cardboard template
- Owners Manual (En/Fr/Sp)
 Max Input Power |
130 watts
vs
50 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
274mm
vs
331mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
164cm2
vs
191cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
458USD
vs
659USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonos In-wall Speakers |
Klipsch R-5650-S II |
| Brand |
Sonos |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 130 watts |
up to 50 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44-20kHz |
60-23kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Horn-loaded dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
Yes |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
3400 Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
274.0mm (10.8") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Width |
177.0mm (7") |
204.0mm (8") |
| Depth |
93.0mm (3.7") |
94.0mm (3.7") |
| Weight |
2.09kg (4.6lbs) |
3.27kg (7.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
Ltd. Lifetime |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
Ltd. Lifetime |
A generation apart: Sonos In-wall Speakers is the newer design, against a 2015 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Sonos In-wall Speakers digs deeper - 44Hz against 60Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch R-5650-S II is more sensitive (92dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Sonos In-wall Speakers takes more power (130W vs 50W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Sonos In-wall Speakers is easier to place; Klipsch R-5650-S II is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | Klipsch R-5650-S II is cheaper - $458 against $659, about 31% less. |
A Sonos In-wall Speakers B Klipsch R-5650-S II
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 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 44% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Klipsch R-5650-S II looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Sonos In-wall Speakers appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Klipsch R-5650-S II much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Sonos In-wall Speakers the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Klipsch R-5650-S II for near-field listening and a small 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.