A rectangular two-way in-wall loudspeaker with a 25 mm AL-MAC tweeter and a 203 mm AL-MAG woofer on a die-cast aluminium baffle, for front or surround channels that need to vanish into the wall.
CI Elite E80-IW v2: how it is built
The CI Elite E80-IW v2 is the two-driver wall model of the series. Tweeter and woofer are fixed to a die-cast aluminium baffle and hand over at 2 kHz through a third-order filter. On axis the response spans 57 Hz to 22 kHz within ±3 dB and bass extension reaches 33 Hz. With 92 dB in-room sensitivity it works well with amplifiers from 15 to 180 W; in the wall it asks for 86 mm of clear depth.
For the treble Paradigm uses an AL-MAC dome, an aluminium and magnesium alloy with ceramic, chosen because it combines low weight, strength and a natural resistance to resonance; the perforated PPA lens protects it and aligns its output in phase. The woofer cone is AL-MAG, which pairs high stiffness for its mass with good internal damping. The ART surround, moulded onto the cone, allows longer travel: the maker quotes 3 dB more distortion-free output than ordinary surrounds give.
The Shock-Mount system mechanically separates the die-cast basket from the baffle, so that chassis resonances do not reach the drivers. The basket has a heat sink built in and the 38 mm voice coil limits power compression. Behind, a polycarbonate guard keeps out dust and debris and, being flat, lets the speaker be laid down while it is being fitted. The grille is micro-perforated, frameless, magnetic and paintable. Made in Canada.
Specifications
- Type: in-wall, 2-way, 2 drivers
- Tweeter: 25 mm AL-MAC dome behind a PPA lens
- Woofer: 203 mm AL-MAG cone, ART surround, 38 mm voice coil
- Baffle: die-cast aluminium with Shock-Mount decoupling
- Crossover: third order, 2 kHz
- Response on axis: 57 Hz to 22 kHz within ±3 dB
- Response 30° off axis: 57 Hz to 18 kHz within ±3 dB
- Bass extension: 33 Hz
- Sensitivity: 92 dB in room, 88 dB anechoic
- Suggested amplifiers: 15 to 180 W
- Peak input power: 120 W
- Impedance: suits 8 ohm amplifiers
- Cut-out: 293 x 205 mm
- Depth needed in the wall: 86 mm
- Size with grille (H x W x D): 321 x 234 x 102 mm
- Weight: 3.9 kg
