A couple of weeks ago, a buddy of mine asked if I could help him upgrade his living room audio setup. He wanted better sound for movies and music, but didn’t want any visible speakers cluttering up the space. His exact words were, “Make it sound great, but don’t let my wife see a single speaker.” So naturally, I suggested we go in-wall.
After doing some research, we landed on the RSL W25E. At $199 each, they’re reasonably priced, and I’ve always heard good things about RSL (Rogersound Labs, for the uninitiated). Here’s what I learned from the process—installation, performance, quirks, and whether I’d recommend them to anyone else thinking about doing the same.
My friend’s setup wasn’t exactly small—big screen TV, gaming consoles, and a comfy L-shaped couch—but the space just didn’t lend itself to floorstanding speakers or even big bookshelves. We needed something that would disappear into the wall and still sound awesome. The W25E stood out because it looked like it could offer the right balance of clean aesthetics and real performance.
And at under $200 each, it wasn’t going to blow his budget, especially since we were planning a full 5.1 surround setup.
When the speakers showed up, we both immediately liked the build. The magnetic “edgeless” grille gives it that seamless, high-end look, and you can paint it to match the wall, which we did (well, technically his wife did). It basically vanishes once installed.
RSL includes a template and paint shield in the box, which came in handy. Cutting into drywall can be stressful, especially when it’s someone else’s house, but the process was smooth enough. The dog-ear mounting tabs locked the speaker securely into place, and we packed a bit of insulation behind each one to tighten up the bass and prevent wall vibrations.
If you’re even a little bit handy, you can handle the install yourself. That said, plan on taking your time, especially if you’re dealing with wiring runs or if this is your first in-wall project.
The W25E has two 5.25-inch woofers made from a mineral-filled poly material, paired with a 0.87-inch fabric dome tweeter that’s mounted on a 15-degree angled baffle. That angled design actually makes a big difference, especially in a setup like ours, where the speakers were mounted a bit above ear level. You can aim the sound down toward the seating position without tilting the whole unit.
The crossover network uses higher-end components than I expected for the price—poly caps, gold-plated binding posts, and a thoughtful layout. It gave me a lot more confidence in the long-term reliability and sound quality of these speakers.
So... how do they sound? In a word: impressive. I wasn’t expecting in-wall speakers to deliver such a clear, full-bodied sound, especially without a bulky cabinet behind them. But the W25Es surprised both of us. Dialogue was crystal clear, music felt open and natural, and they held up well at higher volumes without distortion.
We did pair them with an RSL Speedwoofer 10S for the low end (which I 100% recommend), but even on their own, the W25Es had respectable bass down to around 48Hz. They’re not going to rattle the windows, but for background music or casual TV watching, they hold their own.
In surround mode, the front soundstage locked in beautifully. You could close your eyes during a movie and point to where a sound was coming from. Imaging was tight, and we didn’t experience any muddiness in the midrange or sibilance in the highs.
There’s one detail worth mentioning: the tweeter is offset from center, and that can impact imaging a bit if you're sitting far off to one side. In our case, it wasn’t a problem—the main seating was pretty centered, and we angled the speakers slightly to compensate.
If you’re installing three across the front (left, center, right), just be mindful of that alignment. And if your room has a really wide seating area, it’s something to factor in. That said, in most normal-sized rooms, you’re probably fine.
RSL also suggests aiming the speakers slightly or even using their C34E ceiling speakers (which we reviewed back in 2017) to fill in surround roles, which makes sense if you’re building a full home theater.
Here’s a quick look at the numbers:
Would I recommend them? Absolutely. For anyone looking to clean up their living room, home theater, or even a multi-room music setup, the RSL W25E hits a sweet spot between price, performance, and aesthetics. I liked them so much, I’m seriously considering using them in my own guest room remodel.
Here’s who I think they’re perfect for:
Just make sure to pair them with a subwoofer for full-range performance, especially if you’re using them as your main left/right speakers.
Helping my friend upgrade his space with the W25Es ended up being one of the most satisfying home audio projects I’ve done lately. The installation was straightforward, the results sounded fantastic, and he couldn’t be happier. (Well, his wife is especially happy because you can't even tell there are speakers in the room.)
If you’re looking to step up your audio game without sacrificing style—or if you're just tired of looking at your speakers—the RSL W25E deserves a spot on your shortlist.
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