In this review, we will be comparing DI 6.5LCR and Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR, two Passive In-wall speakers from Definitive Technology and MartinLogan. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Definitive DI 6.5LCR and MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Definitive DI 6.5LCR and MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Definitive DI 6.5LCR and MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that DI 6.5LCR is a 2-way design whereas the Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Driver |
Definitive DI 6.5LCR |
MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR |
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.27 x 2.4-inch
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
DI 6.5LCR features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polymer Woofer . On the other hand, the Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR features a 1.27 x 2.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer .
Frequency Response
DI 6.5LCR has a frequency range of 26-30kHz whereas Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR has a frequency range of 44-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the DI 6.5LCR can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR's min frequency of 44Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
High Frequency
In-wall Speakers
MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
DI 6.5LCR and Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. DI 6.5LCR sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR's is at 93 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR a more sensitive speaker compared to Definitive DI 6.5LCR, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
DI 6.5LCR can handle a max power of 275 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 125 watts less than the DI 6.5LCR.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
DI 6.5LCR features Spring post type posts and Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR has a Spring post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Definitive DI 6.5LCR's and MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR's external dimensions. Definitive DI 6.5LCR has external dimensions of 412.0 x 186.0 x 93.0mm ( 16.1875-inch x 7.3125-inch x 3.6250-inch) whereas MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR has external dimensions of 686.0 x 169.0 x 91.0mm ( 27.0000-inch x 6.6250-inch x 3.5625-inch) .
MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR is 17mm narrower and 2mm less deeper than Definitive DI 6.5LCR but it is also 274mm taller.
What's in the Box of Definitive DI 6.5LCR?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of DI 6.5LCR:
Dual 6.5
What's in the Box of MartinLogan Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR?
Here are the items that come with the Motion XT CI XTW6-LCR:
In-wall LCR loudspeakerGrilleT20 torx-bitUser-feets ManualCutout Template