In this review, we will be comparing 100 IW LCR5 and 100 IW 6, two Passive In-wall speakers by Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal 100 IW LCR5 and Focal 100 IW 6 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal 100 IW LCR5 | Focal 100 IW 6 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Inverted Hard-Dome | 1" Inverted Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.125" Polyglass | 6.5" Polyglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-23kHz | 60-23kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90.5 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 25-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 1.77kg / 3.9lbs | 1.86kg / 4.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 16.3130" x 5.8130" x 3.2500"
415.0 x 148.0 x 83.0mm | 10.7500" x 6.6250" x 3.3750"
274.0 x 169.0 x 86.0mm |
|---|
100 IW LCR5 and 100 IW 6 are members of Focal's 100 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the Focal 100 IW LCR5 and Focal 100 IW 6 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:
| Listening Environment* |
Focal 100 IW LCR5 |
Focal 100 IW 6 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both 100 IW LCR5 and 100 IW 6 are 2-way speakers.
Focal 100 IW LCR5Focal 100 IW 6
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Focal 100 IW LCR5 |
Focal 100 IW 6 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.125-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
100 IW LCR5 features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.125" Polyglass Woofer. On the other hand, the 100 IW 6 features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polyglass Woofer.
Frequency Response
100 IW LCR5 has a frequency range of 55-23kHz whereas 100 IW 6 has a frequency range of 60-23kHz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the 100 IW LCR5 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 100 IW 6's min frequency of 60Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
100 IW LCR5 and 100 IW 6 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 100 IW LCR5 sensitivity is rated at 90.5 dB and the 100 IW 6's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal 100 IW LCR5 a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal 100 IW 6, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
100 IW LCR5 and 100 IW 6 have the same power range of 25-120 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
100 IW LCR5 features Spring post type posts and 100 IW 6 has a Spring post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Focal 100 IW LCR5's and Focal 100 IW 6's external dimensions. Focal 100 IW LCR5 has external dimensions of 415.0 x 148.0 x 83.0mm (16.3130-inch x 5.8130-inch x 3.2500-inch) whereas Focal 100 IW 6 has external dimensions of 274.0 x 169.0 x 86.0mm (10.7500-inch x 6.6250-inch x 3.3750-inch).
Focal 100 IW LCR5 is 21mm narrower and 3mm less deeper than Focal 100 IW 6 but it is also 141mm taller.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Focal 100 IW LCR5 weighs 1.77kg / 3.9lbs and the Focal 100 IW 6 weighs 1.86kg / 4.1lbs. This makes the 100 IW 6 5% heavier than the 100 IW LCR5.
Here is a comparison of how 100 IW LCR5 and 100 IW 6's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.
Weight
All In-wall Speakers
What's in the Box of Focal 100 IW LCR5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 100 IW LCR5:
- One in-wall speaker
- 1 metal-mesh grill (white)
- Cut-out template
- User manual
What's in the Box of Focal 100 IW 6?
Here are the items that come with the 100 IW 6:
- One in-wall speaker
- 1 metal-mesh grill (white)
- Cut-out template
- User manual
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
55 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
122cm2
vs
145cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.125 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
274mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
498USD
vs
598USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal 100 IW LCR5 |
Focal 100 IW 6 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
25-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90.5 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-23kHz |
60-23kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.125" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polyglass |
Polyglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Inverted Hard-Dome |
Inverted Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
415.0mm (16.3") |
274.0mm (10.8") |
| Width |
148.0mm (5.8") |
169.0mm (6.7") |
| Depth |
83.0mm (3.3") |
86.0mm (3.4") |
| Weight |
1.77kg (3.9lbs) |
1.86kg (4.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
Yes |
Yes |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Focal's 100 series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Focal 100 IW LCR5 digs deeper - 55Hz against 60Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Focal 100 IW LCR5 is more sensitive (91dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 120W). |
| Size | depends | Focal 100 IW 6 is easier to place; Focal 100 IW LCR5 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | Focal 100 IW 6 is cheaper - $498 against $598, about 17% less. |
A Focal 100 IW LCR5 B Focal 100 IW 6
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Focal 100 IW LCR5 measures better, Focal 100 IW 6 costs about about 20% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Focal 100 IW 6 much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Focal 100 IW LCR5 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.