In this review, we will be comparing 300 IW 6 and Motion CI MW6, two Passive In-wall speakers from Focal and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal 300 IW 6 and MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal 300 IW 6 | MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Inverted Hard-Dome | 1" Folded Motion Ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Flax | 6.5" Fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-28kHz | 62-25kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-130 watts | 50-60 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 2.22kg / 4.9lbs | 2.72kg / 6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.5000" x 7.5000" x 3.7500"
293.0 x 191.0 x 96.0mm | 10.1250" x 7.0000" x 3.8750"
258.0 x 178.0 x 99.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal 300 IW 6 and MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 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 300 IW 6 |
MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
No way |
(* 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 300 IW 6 and Motion CI MW6 are 2-way speakers.
Focal 300 IW 6MartinLogan Motion CI MW6
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 300 IW 6 |
MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
300 IW 6 features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Flax Woofer. On the other hand, the Motion CI MW6 features a 1" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Fiberglass Woofer.
Frequency Response
300 IW 6 has a frequency range of 55-28kHz whereas Motion CI MW6 has a frequency range of 62-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the 300 IW 6 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion CI MW6's min frequency of 62Hz.
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
300 IW 6 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Motion CI MW6 which has a nominal impedance of 5 ohms.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 90 dBdB.
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.
300 IW 6 can handle a max power of 130 watts RMS, whereas Motion CI MW6 has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the 300 IW 6.
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.
MartinLogan Motion CI MW6
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
300 IW 6 features Spring post type posts and Motion CI MW6 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 300 IW 6's and MartinLogan Motion CI MW6's external dimensions. Focal 300 IW 6 has external dimensions of 293.0 x 191.0 x 96.0mm (11.5000-inch x 7.5000-inch x 3.7500-inch) whereas MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 has external dimensions of 258.0 x 178.0 x 99.0mm (10.1250-inch x 7.0000-inch x 3.8750-inch).
MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 is 13mm narrower and 35mm shorter than Focal 300 IW 6 but it is also 3mm deeper.
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 300 IW 6 weighs 2.22kg / 4.9lbs and the MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 weighs 2.72kg / 6lbs. This makes the Motion CI MW6 23% heavier than the 300 IW 6.
Here is a comparison of how 300 IW 6 and Motion CI MW6's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.
Weight
All In-wall Speakers
MartinLogan Motion CI MW6
What's in the Box of Focal 300 IW 6?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 300 IW 6:
- One in-wall speaker
- Grill (white)
- 12.5
What's in the Box of MartinLogan Motion CI MW6?
Here are the items that come with the Motion CI MW6:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- T20 Torx bit
- User-feets Manual
- Cutout Template
 Max Input Power |
130 watts
vs
60 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
5 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
55 Hz
vs
62 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1100USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Height |
258mm
vs
293mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
176cm2
vs
183cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Focal 300 IW 6 |
MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 |
| Brand |
Focal |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
Passive In-wall Speaker |
| Power Range |
25-130 watts |
50-60 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-28kHz |
62-25kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
Fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Inverted Hard-Dome |
Folded Motion Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
293.0mm (11.5") |
258.0mm (10.2") |
| Width |
191.0mm (7.5") |
178.0mm (7") |
| Depth |
96.0mm (3.8") |
99.0mm (3.9") |
| Weight |
2.22kg (4.9lbs) |
2.72kg (6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
In-wall |
In-wall |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 is the newer design, against a 2019 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Focal 300 IW 6 digs deeper - 55Hz against 62Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Focal 300 IW 6 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | Focal 300 IW 6 takes more power (130W vs 60W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 sits in a wider range (18 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Focal 300 IW 6 is cheaper - $799 against $1,100, about 27% less. |
A Focal 300 IW 6 B MartinLogan Motion CI MW6
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?
Focal 300 IW 6 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 62Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Focal 300 IW 6 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and MartinLogan Motion CI MW6 for near-field listening and a small room.
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.