In this review, we will be comparing 300 IW 6 and W250-LCR, two Passive In-wall speakers from Focal and Monitor Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal 300 IW 6 and Monitor Audio W250-LCR first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Focal 300 IW 6 Key Specs
- 1-way Design
- 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Flax Woofer
- 55-28kHz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-130watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 293.0" x 7.5000" x 3.7500"( 293.0 x 191.0 x 96.0mm )
Monitor Audio W250-LCR Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5" Metal Matrix Polymer Woofer
- 60-30kHz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-100watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 353.0" x 5.7500" x 4.0000"( 353.0 x 147.0 x 102.0mm )
What size room are the Focal 300 IW 6 and Monitor Audio W250-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:
| Listening Environment* |
Focal 300 IW 6 |
Monitor Audio W250-LCR |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal 300 IW 6 and Monitor Audio W250-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 300 IW 6 is a 1-way design whereas the W250-LCR is a 2-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 |
Focal 300 IW 6 |
Monitor Audio W250-LCR |
|
Driver Setup
|
1-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
300 IW 6 features a 1" Inverted Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Flax Woofer . On the other hand, the W250-LCR features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Metal Matrix Polymer Woofer .
Frequency Response
300 IW 6 has a frequency range of 55-28kHz whereas W250-LCR has a frequency range of 60-30kHz. 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 W250-LCR's min frequency of 60Hz.
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
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
300 IW 6 and W250-LCR have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 300 IW 6 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the W250-LCR's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal 300 IW 6 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio W250-LCR, 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.
300 IW 6 can handle a max power of 130 watts RMS from the amp the whereas W250-LCR has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the 300 IW 6.
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
300 IW 6 features Spring post type posts and W250-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 Focal 300 IW 6's and Monitor Audio W250-LCR'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 Monitor Audio W250-LCR has external dimensions of 353.0 x 147.0 x 102.0mm ( 13.8750-inch x 5.7500-inch x 4.0000-inch) .
Focal 300 IW 6 is 60mm shorter and 6mm less deeper than Monitor Audio W250-LCR but it is also 44mm wider.
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 speakerGrill (white)12.5
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio W250-LCR?
Here are the items that come with the W250-LCR:
In-wall speakerGrillePaint skimInstallation GuideImportant Safety InstructionsCutout Template
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Woofer Size 
Height 
Price per pair* 
Driver Setup 
High Frequency Response 
Base Surface Area