diff --git a/backends/arm/test/models/test_w2l_arm.py b/backends/arm/test/models/test_w2l_arm.py
index 32b25a18fd8..c627cd7f887 100644
--- a/backends/arm/test/models/test_w2l_arm.py
+++ b/backends/arm/test/models/test_w2l_arm.py
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ class TestW2L(unittest.TestCase):
     input_frames = 400
     num_features = 1
 
-    w2l = models.Wav2Letter(num_features=num_features).eval()
     model_example_inputs = get_test_inputs(batch_size, num_features, input_frames)
 
     all_operators = [
@@ -45,11 +44,17 @@ class TestW2L(unittest.TestCase):
         "executorch_exir_dialects_edge__ops_aten_relu_default",
     ]
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def create_model(input_type: str = "waveform"):
+        return models.Wav2Letter(
+            num_features=TestW2L.num_features, input_type=input_type
+        ).eval()
+
 
 @pytest.mark.slow  # about 3min on std laptop
 def test_w2l_tosa_FP():
     pipeline = TosaPipelineFP[input_t](
-        TestW2L.w2l,
+        TestW2L.create_model(),
         TestW2L.model_example_inputs,
         aten_op=[],
         exir_op=TestW2L.all_operators,
@@ -62,7 +67,7 @@ def test_w2l_tosa_FP():
 @pytest.mark.flaky
 def test_w2l_tosa_INT():
     pipeline = TosaPipelineINT[input_t](
-        TestW2L.w2l,
+        TestW2L.create_model(),
         TestW2L.model_example_inputs,
         aten_op=[],
         exir_op=TestW2L.all_operators,
@@ -74,12 +79,14 @@ def test_w2l_tosa_INT():
 @pytest.mark.slow
 @common.XfailIfNoCorstone300
 @pytest.mark.xfail(
-    reason="MLETORCH-1009: Wav2Letter fails on U55 due to unsupported conditions",
-    strict=False,
+    reason="Wav2Letter fails on U55 due to insufficient memory",
+    strict=True,
 )
 def test_w2l_u55_INT():
     pipeline = EthosU55PipelineINT[input_t](
-        TestW2L.w2l,
+        # Use "power_spectrum" variant because the default ("waveform") has a
+        # conv1d layer with an unsupported stride size.
+        TestW2L.create_model("power_spectrum"),
         TestW2L.model_example_inputs,
         aten_ops=[],
         exir_ops=[],
@@ -94,7 +101,7 @@ def test_w2l_u55_INT():
 @pytest.mark.skip(reason="Intermittent timeout issue: MLETORCH-856")
 def test_w2l_u85_INT():
     pipeline = EthosU85PipelineINT[input_t](
-        TestW2L.w2l,
+        TestW2L.create_model(),
         TestW2L.model_example_inputs,
         aten_ops=[],
         exir_ops=[],
@@ -108,7 +115,7 @@ def test_w2l_u85_INT():
 @pytest.mark.slow
 def test_w2l_vgf_INT():
     pipeline = VgfPipeline[input_t](
-        TestW2L.w2l,
+        TestW2L.create_model(),
         TestW2L.model_example_inputs,
         aten_op=[],
         exir_op=TestW2L.all_operators,
@@ -121,7 +128,7 @@ def test_w2l_vgf_INT():
 @common.SkipIfNoModelConverter
 def test_w2l_vgf_FP():
     pipeline = VgfPipeline[input_t](
-        TestW2L.w2l,
+        TestW2L.create_model(),
         TestW2L.model_example_inputs,
         aten_op=[],
         exir_op=TestW2L.all_operators,