In this review, we will be comparing Studio 6 88LCR and Motion CI MW4-LCR, two Passive In-wall speakers from JBL and MartinLogan. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Studio 6 88LCR and MartinLogan Motion CI MW4-LCR first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
JBL Studio 6 88LCR Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter
- 2 x 8" PolyPlas Woofer
- 43-20kHz Frequency Response
- 96 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:10-175watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 520.0" x 8.7500" x 3.7500"( 520.0 x 223.0 x 96.0mm )
MartinLogan Motion CI MW4-LCR Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter
- 2 x 4" Fiberglass Woofer
- 78-25kHz Frequency Response
- 93 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-100watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 134.0" x 11.8750" x 2.6875"( 134.0 x 302.0 x 69.0mm )
What size room are the JBL Studio 6 88LCR and MartinLogan Motion CI MW4-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* |
JBL Studio 6 88LCR |
MartinLogan Motion CI MW4-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 JBL Studio 6 88LCR and MartinLogan Motion CI MW4-LCR compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Studio 6 88LCR and Motion CI MW4-LCR are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
JBL Studio 6 88LCR |
MartinLogan Motion CI MW4-LCR |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 4-inch
|
Studio 6 88LCR features a 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 2 x 8" PolyPlas Woofer . On the other hand, the Motion CI MW4-LCR features a 1" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 4" Fiberglass Woofer .
Frequency Response
Studio 6 88LCR has a frequency range of 43-20kHz whereas Motion CI MW4-LCR has a frequency range of 78-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 43Hz, the Studio 6 88LCR can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion CI MW4-LCR's min frequency of 78Hz.
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 CI MW4-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
Studio 6 88LCR is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Motion CI MW4-LCR which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Studio 6 88LCR sensitivity is rated at 96 dB and the Motion CI MW4-LCR's is rated at 93 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the JBL Studio 6 88LCR a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan Motion CI MW4-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.
Studio 6 88LCR can handle a max power of 175 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Motion CI MW4-LCR has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 75 watts less than the Studio 6 88LCR.
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
Studio 6 88LCR features Spring post type posts and Motion CI MW4-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 JBL Studio 6 88LCR's and MartinLogan Motion CI MW4-LCR's external dimensions. JBL Studio 6 88LCR has external dimensions of 520.0 x 223.0 x 96.0mm ( 20.4375-inch x 8.7500-inch x 3.7500-inch) whereas MartinLogan Motion CI MW4-LCR has external dimensions of 134.0 x 302.0 x 69.0mm ( 5.2500-inch x 11.8750-inch x 2.6875-inch) .
MartinLogan Motion CI MW4-LCR is 386mm shorter and 27mm less deeper than JBL Studio 6 88LCR but it is also 79mm wider.
What's in the Box of JBL Studio 6 88LCR?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Studio 6 88LCR:
In-wall loudspeakerGrilleCut-Out TemplateQuick Start Guide
What's in the Box of MartinLogan Motion CI MW4-LCR?
Here are the items that come with the Motion CI MW4-LCR:
In-wall loudspeakerGrilleTorx-bitUser-feets ManualCutout Template
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Woofer Size 
Nominal Impedance 
High Frequency Response 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair*