Short answer: these serve opposite ends of a custom installation. Choose the Ci3160RLM-THX for a serious aimable in-wall LCR; choose the CI130.2CR only where its tiny cutout and shallow depth solve a placement constraint.
The Ci3160RLM-THX is built for full-scale cinema duty. Dual 6.5-inch woofers and the adjustable 6.5-inch Uni-Q module achieve 58.6Hz measured -3dB extension, excellent on-axis linearity, and the tightest directivity consistency in this category.
The CI130.2CR prioritizes fit over bass or output. Its 158mm square cutout and 82.3mm depth fit cavities that cannot accept the larger THX models. The 5.25-inch Uni-Q reaches only about 100Hz at -3dB, so it needs a subwoofer and is best treated as a compact surround, height, or background channel.
Buy the Ci3160RLM-THX for the front stage when the wall can accommodate its large cutout.
Buy the CI130.2CR when shallow, constrained placement is the deciding factor.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF Ci3160RLM-THX | KEF CI130.2CR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,899.95 | $299.99 |
| Ranked | #1 of 5 in In-Wall & In-Ceiling Speakers | #4 of 5 in In-Wall & In-Ceiling Speakers |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5" LF woofers, 6.5" Uni-Q coaxial midrange, 1" vented aluminum dome tweeter with MAT (rotatable/tiltable module) | 5.25" Uni-Q coaxial woofer with 16mm aluminum dome tweeter |
| Enclosure | Open-backed, in-wall | Open-backed, in-ceiling |
| Mounting Cutout | 660mm (H) x 209mm (W) | 158 x 158mm |
| Dimensions | 26.8" x 9.1" x 4.2" (680 x 230 x 105.7 mm) | 7.6" x 7.6" x 3.2" (193.4 x 193.4 x 82.3 mm) (77.7mm mounting depth) |
| Weight | 26.5 lbs / 12kg (26.4 lbs) | 2.9 lbs / 1.3kg |
| Sensitivity | 89dB | 87dB |
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
| Power Handling | 50-350W recommended amplifier power | 10-80W recommended amplifier power |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz-28kHz +/-6dB (manufacturer, open-backed) | 52Hz-20kHz +/-6dB (manufacturer, open-backed) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 58.6Hz (measured, spinorama.org ASR data) | 100Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 36Hz (measured, spinorama.org ASR data) | 53.5Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
| Certification | THX Ultra2 | - |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- KEF CI200RR-THX vs KEF CI50R
- KEF CI250RRM-THX vs KEF CI200RR-THX
- KEF CI250RRM-THX vs KEF CI50R
- KEF Ci3160RLM-THX vs KEF CI200RR-THX
- KEF CI250RRM-THX vs KEF CI130.2CR
Prices on this page were last checked September 7, 2026 at 7:47 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
KEF Ci3160RLM-THX: $1,899.95 Amazon eBay
Pros: Independently measured by Audio Science Review on a Klippel rig to a genuine 58.6Hz at -3dB and roughly 36Hz at -10dB, with an on-axis slope of just -0.02dB per octave, essentially flat. Directivity is the most consistent of any in-wall or in-ceiling speaker in this category, with the tightest spread in its sound-power directivity index across the measured band. The rotatable, tiltable driver module (the RLM in its name) lets the tweeter and midrange aim toward the listening area even when the cabinet itself has to be installed off to one side. THX Ultra2 certified, with a 4-driver, 3-way layout: dual 6.5” woofers flanking a 6.5” Uni-Q coaxial midrange/tweeter.
Cons: At $2,299.99 each, a stereo pair runs roughly $4,600, among the most expensive options in this category. Listening-window and sound-power smoothness are moderate rather than class-leading, meaning some unevenness remains once you move off the main listening axis despite the flat on-axis trace. The 660 x 209mm cutout and 106mm mounting depth are large enough that they won’t fit inside a standard 2x4 wall stud bay without modification.
Full KEF Ci3160RLM-THX review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 36Hz (measured, spinorama.org ASR data) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 58.6Hz (measured, spinorama.org ASR data) |
| Certification | THX Ultra2 |
| Dimensions | 26.8" x 9.1" x 4.2" (680 x 230 x 105.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5" LF woofers, 6.5" Uni-Q coaxial midrange, 1" vented aluminum dome tweeter with MAT (rotatable/tiltable module) |
| Enclosure | Open-backed, in-wall |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz-28kHz +/-6dB (manufacturer, open-backed) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms |
| Mounting Cutout | 660mm (H) x 209mm (W) |
| Power Handling | 50-350W recommended amplifier power |
| Sensitivity | 89dB |
| Weight | 26.5 lbs / 12kg (26.4 lbs) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
KEF CI130.2CR: $299.99 World Wide Stereo eBay
Pros: A compact 158 x 158mm cutout and 82.3mm depth fit tight joist bays and shallow ceiling cavities where the larger Ci-THX models in this category won’t. At $299.99 each it’s the most affordable speaker in this category by a wide margin. The 5.25” Uni-Q driver keeps its 16mm aluminum dome tweeter coaxially centered on the woofer, so the two acoustic centers stay aligned regardless of listening position.
Cons: KEF’s own frequency response spec bottoms out at 52Hz, and the measured curve reaches only about 100Hz at -3dB and roughly 53.5Hz at -10dB, the shallowest low end among the models in this category with a THX certification, so pairing it with a subwoofer is worth planning for. It’s open-backed with only medium-quality vendor measurement data behind it, not an independently verified Klippel scan.
Full KEF CI130.2CR review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.5Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 100Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
| Dimensions | 7.6" x 7.6" x 3.2" (193.4 x 193.4 x 82.3 mm) (77.7mm mounting depth) |
| Drivers | 5.25" Uni-Q coaxial woofer with 16mm aluminum dome tweeter |
| Enclosure | Open-backed, in-ceiling |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz-20kHz +/-6dB (manufacturer, open-backed) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Mounting Cutout | 158 x 158mm |
| Power Handling | 10-80W recommended amplifier power |
| Sensitivity | 87dB |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs / 1.3kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons