In this review, we will be comparing In-wall Speakers and W150-LCR, two Passive In-wall speakers from Sonos and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonos In-wall Speakers and Monitor Audio W150-LCR first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Sonos In-wall Speakers Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer
- 44-20kHz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 130watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 274.0" x 6.9375" x 3.6250"( 274.0 x 177.0 x 93.0mm )
Monitor Audio W150-LCR Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5" Metal Matrix Polymer Woofer
- 60-30kHz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-100watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 353.0" x 5.7500" x 4.0000"( 353.0 x 147.0 x 102.0mm )
What size room are the Sonos In-wall Speakers and Monitor Audio W150-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* |
Sonos In-wall Speakers |
Monitor Audio W150-LCR |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonos In-wall Speakers and Monitor Audio W150-LCR 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
Both In-wall Speakers and W150-LCR are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Sonos In-wall Speakers |
Monitor Audio W150-LCR |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
In-wall Speakers features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer . On the other hand, the W150-LCR features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Metal Matrix Polymer Woofer .
Frequency Response
In-wall Speakers has a frequency range of 44-20kHz whereas W150-LCR has a frequency range of 60-30kHz. 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 W150-LCR's min frequency of 60Hz.
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
In-wall Speakers and W150-LCR 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 W150-LCR's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Sonos In-wall Speakers a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio W150-LCR, 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.
In-wall Speakers can handle a max power of 130 watts RMS from the amp the whereas W150-LCR has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the In-wall Speakers.
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
In-wall Speakers features Spring post type posts and W150-LCR 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 Sonos In-wall Speakers's and Monitor Audio W150-LCR'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 Monitor Audio W150-LCR has external dimensions of 353.0 x 147.0 x 102.0mm ( 13.8750-inch x 5.7500-inch x 4.0000-inch) .
Sonos In-wall Speakers is 79mm shorter and 9mm less deeper than Monitor Audio W150-LCR but it is also 30mm wider.
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 loudspeakers2 Grilles2 Cutout Templates
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio W150-LCR?
Here are the items that come with the W150-LCR:
In-wall speakerGrillePaint skimInstallation GuideImportant Safety InstructionsCutout Template