Bowers & Wilkins Reference Series CWM7.4 S2 is a 3-way Passive In-wall In-wall speaker by Bowers Wilkins. It features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter, x 4" Midrange and 4 x 4" Aramid fiber/paper cone Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 45-28kHz and a sensitivity of 86 dB. B&W CWM7.4 S2 has an MSRP of 2300$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the B&W CWM7.4 S2 is a crucial factor in your decision. We have assessed its suitability for various room sizes based on its dimensions and maximum power output:
Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
Near-field | Poor |
Small Room | Average |
Mid-size Room | Good |
Large Room | Average |
Very Large Room | 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.)
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequency Response of the B&W CWM7.4 S2 Speaker
B&W CWM7.4 S2 has a Frequency response range of 45-28kHz at ±3dB and Power Range of 25-150 watts. With a minimum frequency of 45 Hz, CWM7.4 S2 delivers moderate bass depth so depending on your use case, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer to your system.
To focus on the subwoofers that are in a similar price range with B&W CWM7.4 S2, check out the Powered Subwoofers under $3000. Alternatively, find the Full list of Powered Subwoofers regardless of the price.
Here we have a comparison of how CWM7.4 S2's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
High Frequency
In-wall Speakers
Impedance and Sensitivity
B&W CWM7.4 S2's nominal impedance level is
8 ohms and has a sensitivity of
86 dB.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
8 Ohms is pretty much the standard nominal impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so Bowers & Wilkins Reference Series CWM7.4 S2 is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
With a sensitivity level of only 86 dB, Bowers & Wilkins Reference Series CWM7.4 S2 is a difficult to drive speaker from Sensitivity perspective, make sure to choose an amplifier with a high output if you like listening to your music at high volume levels. You may especially have a hard time using Tube amplifiers which are traditionally very low power compared to Class A/B or Class D amps.
Check the amplifiers that are in a similar price range to the B&W CWM7.4 S2:
Input Type
CWM7.4 S2 features Spring post type connectors. Bi-amping and Bi-wiring are not possible.
B&W CWM7.4 S2 External Dimensions and Weight
B&W CWM7.4 S2 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 23.5000-inch x 5.8125-inch x 3.6875-inch (597.0 x 148.0 x 94.0mm ).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of B&W CWM7.4 S2 is approximately 139.1cm2 / 21.6inch2.
How does the B&W CWM7.4 S2 compare to the Bowers Wilkins Reference Series CWM7.3 S2?
One of the natural alternative to the B&W CWM7.4 S2 is the CWM7.3 S2 which is located one step higher in Bowers Wilkins's Passive In-wall selection.
Check the Detailed Comparison of B&W CWM7.4 S2 vs CWM7.3 S2 for more details.
Cabinet type and Materials
B&W CWM7.4 S2 has a
In-wall type cabinet.
What's in the Box of B&W CWM7.4 S2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of CWM7.4 S2:
In-wall loudspeakerMounting frameGrillePaint shieldCutout TemplateInstallation InstructionsWarranty Information
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the Bowers & Wilkins Reference Series CWM7.4 S2.
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.